After all this time?
by Belles.diner
Summary: Summary: After The Party's Over Rory went back to Dean for a little bit, but by Pulp Friction they were broken up. After TPO Logan backed off the flirting and they never started anything, they were friendly if they ever ran into each other but never close. Nine years later they meet again. ROGAN AU P.S: I own nothing. :)
1. Chapter 1

**After all this Tim** e?

Summary: After The Party's Over Rory went back to Dean for a little bit, but by Pulp Friction they were broken up. After TPO Logan backed off the flirting and they never started anything, they were friendly if they ever ran into each other but never close. Nine years later they meet again.

 **Chapter 1: Well I'll Be Damned**

She twirled the rings around her finger for the last time as she set them on her nightstand. They weren't tonight or any other night, something that had been a staple of her wardrobe for fancier parties or work events for the past four years. She should have taken them off a month ago when the papers were signed but, yet she couldn't bring herself to do it, to admit that there was a fault in her plans. But tonight, it was time to end the façade. Stop fooling herself and others that she was 29 and still married, versus 29 and divorced. She threw her head down on the vanity before she lifted her head up and stared at herself, making sure her makeup was in place and not a single hair had fallen into disarray before pulling herself up and out the door.

She arrived at the party what she hoped was fashionably late but was in all actuality just late. _Damn self-reflection over over-priced jewelry._ She muttered to herself as she looked around at everyone who was probably on their second or third drink of the evening. These charity events her grandmother kept insisting she go to were getting cumbersome and she was tired of it all, but she couldn't say no, well she could, but it just wasn't worth the battle. At least this one was in New York and not a drive out to Connecticut that she didn't want to make. She made her way over to the bar to get a start on catching up to the other WASPs that she was surrounded with. The overwhelming feeling of a migraine starting made her almost question the martini she ordered but the moment it touched her lips she realized she would need more of these, especially with the group of women who were coming up to her.

"Rory!"

"Mrs. Beddington, how are you? Mrs. Chase, Mrs. Campbell, great to see you ladies." She gave a simple head nod to them.

"Oh, were fine dear. How are you?" Rory inwardly rolled her eyes when she saw Constance shift her eyes down to the now empty ring finger.

"I'm doing well, it's been a great week at the Times and I finally beat my record on Candy Crush." She had a sweet smile as she watched the women's faces fall at the lack of gossip.

"Ah, yes. I suppose having a hobby is great for a woman of your ahem, status, now isn't it?" Elizabeth Chase jabbed.

"It's better than other ways to keep my hands busy, if you'll excuse me." She turned back to the bar to order another drink. She didn't notice him come up to her at the bar, nor did she hear his small chuckle at her parting shot to the group of women.

RLRLRL

Logan got out of the limo and stood in front of hotel that was holding this charity event, how he had been back from London for 8 months and this was the first appearance at these ridiculous appearances baffled him. Before he made his way into the building he cracked his neck from side to side and took a deep breath as he climbed up the steps. It had been 8 months of throwing himself into work in Hartford, and next week he was starting in New York, his new permanent location. For once he was thankful for his work load, the same work load that led to the events that made him flee London in the first place.

Cassandra was amazing, the perfect girlfriend, the first woman he lived with, the first woman he saw a permanent future with, until the day he came back to the flat they shared and saw her, and another man, in a very different light. She blamed his work load, the pressures of being the perfect kept girlfriend were to much for her, she needed an outlet. He had tried to forgive her, he had given it 2 more months of trying, even suggesting therapy and willing to work at it before he asked his father for the family ring, but she couldn't give up her 'outlets' and he didn't want that type of marriage, not with a woman he felt he loved. After that he closed up his position in London and took a more prominent seat at the Huntzberger Group back in the States. He dated here and there, found another great girl who lasted about a month before they realized it wasn't fitting and departed amicably.

He wasn't necessarily lonely or looking so, he avoided these mating rituals, and overly gratuitous displays of wealth disguised as charity events like they were the plague. But he had to do it tonight, he was representing his family and he could use an open bar after his first week here.

As he stepped into the lobby he was about to head into the ballroom before he saw a blur of black flash by him muttering something about over-priced jewelry and shaking her head. He shook his head as he inadvertently followed him, realizing she was heading to the same event he was roped into this evening. He had planned on following her to the bar, which she seemed to make a B-line for but was sidetracked by a business associate that stopped him.

"Mr. Huntzberger! How are you sir?"

"Good evening, I'm doing well, how are you?" Logan all but forgot about the late girl as he turned his focus back to Henrik Statson, a man closer to his father's age than he was to his own, but he was a great business man who was fun outside of the boardroom as he was shrewd in it.

"I have a glass of brandy and I have it on good authority there is a few Cuban cigars floating around here so I don't have many complaints." Logan laughed genuinely at his answer.

"Well, I hope you have a great evening, as for that glass of brandy I think I am going to make my way to the bar to get a drink for myself if you don't mind." He excused himself as he made his way over to the bar when he overheard the same voice close to his destination that belonged to the girl who almost ran him over just a few minutes earlier.

"It's better than other ways to keep my hands busy, if you'll excuse me." He heard the voice say and he couldn't help but laugh at her response. He watched as she turned around to the bar and ordered another drink. He couldn't help but look her over and noticed just how well she fit into the simple black dress that hugged her body with a draped back that exposed a fair amount of skin.

"So, pray tell, what are some better ways to keep your hands busy?" He watched her body jump in response to his opening line and she briefly had trouble swallowing her drink when she turned to face him. He knew that face, it was stuck in some recesses of his mind, and then somehow it clicked. "Rory Gilmore?"

"Well, I'll be damned. Logan Huntzberger?"

"How are you doing?" He asked as his eyes raked over the front of her body causing her to blush a small bit.

"I'm doing well, I work at the Times and it's been an unbelievable experience." She answered the rehearsed society answer. "How are you doing, it's been so long? What did you end up doing after Yale?"

"I am doing good, I went to London for about 7 years, learned a lot about the family business, came home to Hartford to take on a bigger role within the company and I'm moving the headquarters to New York so I'm working on that transition. Overall, I'm doing well." She nodded in response when an idea struck into her head as her eyes skimmed the room which he took notice of instantly, he knew that look, it was the I'm actively looking for someone who I need to avoid but he wanted to tease her a little bit. "Looking for better company?" He smirked at the deer caught in headlights look that she had plastered across her face.

"No, oh goodness no, I'm sorry. I'm looking for my grandma and grandpa, I have to make sure I'm seen by them before I can dart out of here in search of cheap Chinese food, if you'll excuse me." She smiled at him as she downed the last of her drink, set it on the bar and was gone quickly into the crowds. He shook his head and smiled as he watched her dart away.

They both made their rounds that night as the party dragged on, however it felt like the moment the clock struck ten she was being pulled to the door, she said her goodbyes as she slipped into the lobby to make the call to her car service, after a few minutes she heard his voice from earlier filter through the crowds. She turned to face him as she watched him say his goodbyes.

"Leaving the party there early Cinderella?"

"Yes, well, as fun as a pumpkin carriage sounds I think I'd rather take the town car home this evening." She saw the car pull up and she made her way towards it. He took one more look of her in that dress again and couldn't help himself from calling out to her.

"Rory!" She turned to face him. "Cheap Chinese food tastes so much better with an old friend." She smiled at him then turned away and made her way to the rear door of her car before turning to him again.

"Well, you coming Huntzberger?" She couldn't believe she said it but when she finally took the time to look him over she realized she wanted to spend more time with him, she wanted to spend any time with a man who looked that good in a suit. So, with that in mind her mouth did the talking before she could fully register what was being said. He smirked as he put away his cell phone, forgoing his own car for the evening.

They made their way to a small hole in the wall restaurant where she ordered a coffee and he ordered a tea. "Wow, we are getting older, huh?" He laughed at her statement as he looked down at their drink choices.

"Can I ask you something that is probably not my place after everything?"

"What do you mean everything?" Rory asked as she started piling their plate with the food that was delivered.

"Well you know, us not really being friends and stuff." He mumbled it out as if ashamed for reasons beyond her understanding.

"I mean, sure, ask away." She gave him a quizzical look.

"How are you really? I mean earlier back there, we gave the canned answers and even though we're still in fancy clothes it just doesn't seem right to only give the safe answers."

She took a deep breath, she had no reason to give him anything but the canned answer, she had no reason to trust him, she certainly didn't owe him anything. But on the flip side of that coin, she had no reason to not give him a non-rehearsed answer, he wasn't a DAR biddy looking for gossip, he was an old friend and they were catching up. "I've been doing okay. I wasn't lying earlier when I said work was going well, honestly, I'm doing well too. The divorce kind of hit harder than I thought it would but other than that."

"Wait, divorce?" He looked at her shocked.

"Um, yeah, sorry I just assumed you heard, I was married to Jameson Bass."

"The lawyer?" She nodded her head in response. "Wow, I'm sorry about the divorce. Um, do you mind if I ask when it happened?"

"Well, the separation happened about 2 and a half months ago, the divorce was pretty easy, there wasn't much to divide, and it was finalized within two weeks and the reason it took that long was just because we were never in the same place at the same time long enough to sit down and go over things. There's nothing to be sorry about, he was a great guy and a good husband."

"If he…" Logan trailed off, not knowing how far he could push this openness she was exhibiting.

"If he was such a good husband what happened?" She smirked at him as he hung his head a bit. "Well, I'm a bitter shrew." She laughed to herself before continuing. "No, we were fine together, happy enough, and he was a good husband. But we also both worked crazy hours, we just didn't fit. I realized on a work trip that had me out of town for 10 days that I was fine with not checking in that often because I didn't long for him like I should have. When I got back, we sat down and talked, realized that we did love each other just not the way the other deserved, so we looked over our prenup decided who got what, and just went our separate ways. But what's strange is that tonight was the first night I didn't wear my rings to an event like this. I mean, I hardly ever wore my engagement ring, just usually a simple wedding band when I was out and about, and I stopped that the day of our conversation. But the actual set, it was just like second nature to wear it to society events. The blue-blood need to show off wealth I suppose." She added with a smile, and she realized that she didn't cry when telling the story, she was just simply content. "Everyone keeps waiting for some scandal to come out. But there was none, just two people wanting the best for the other. Now that I've talked your ear off, what's your non-society answer."

"Well first of all, even though there's nothing to be sorry about, I'm sorry that you guys went through that, it's nice that it was so amicable though. That's pretty admirable for both of your parts. Plus, it's good to know if I ever in need of a lawyer he seems to have a level-head to him. As for me, I was in London for years, I loved it. The rain, the sights, the food, the pubs, everything about it was great. Met someone, fell in love, moved her in, thought about asking for the family ring, came home one day to a very compromising situation, we tried to move past it and it didn't work so I came back here." He tried to brush it off as if it was nothing, but she saw the small crack in his face.

"Well, I'm sorry, that's never the best of situations to be in. You probably don't remember but the guy who dumped me at my grandparent's party? He eventually pulled the same thing on me after we got back together."

"I was wondering what happened to you two, I had heard you guys were back together then next thing I knew you were at a party with Robert." He remembered that party and the feeling he had when he saw her there. He had backed off of the fun and flirty banter they had because he had heard she was dating the moron who dumped her, so it came as a shock to see her on the arm of Robert just a few short months later.

"Ah yes, then spent the next six weeks showering." She retorted back quickly which made Logan smirk again. "That thing was doomed from the start, but we had both had so much invested it felt weird to throw it away and it was a whole big thing. But god, that feels like so long ago. " She could have kept up with the reminiscing but decided to go a different path. She wanted to catch up with him more, hear the silky way his voice sounded, especially when it wasn't burdened down with some idiot of his past. "So, at least I know why I haven't seen you at any of these functions since Yale, to busy enjoying the London skyline, huh?"

"Miss me Ace?" She smiled at the nickname, but he didn't seem to register it.

"Just best to know where the storm is coming from." They smiled at each other for a minute longer when the tension was broken with the waiter bringing the check which Logan grabbed from the table before she could take it. "Hey, it was my idea I should have to pay."

"Normally I wouldn't dignify that with a response, but we spent $20 and if I can't spare that while I'm catching up with a friend then I shouldn't have been at that ostentatious event earlier. Seriously Rory, I got this."

"Fine, but next time, it's on me."

"There's a next time?" He raised his eyebrows at her.

"There is no reason for us to not be in the same city and not keep in touch Logan. I really enjoyed our friendship at Yale, as light as it may have been, and we both work in the same industry, I'm positive that there will be another party that we desperately want to escape, and we will find ourselves getting really good Mexican food and then it will be my honor to pay."

"I still won't let you pay, but I honor the attempt." He threw down cash as she rolled her eyes in response and they both left the table, getting into her car. They drove the 20 minutes to her place where they spent the time laughing, the awkwardness of catching up out of the way they fell into a banter learning more about each other in the process.

As the town car pulled up to her building in the Upper East Side she paused for a moment. "I've instructed the driver to take you home, it was a great night Logan, I hope to see you next time." She noticed that she had leaned in slightly to him and suddenly she felt the air change. They had always had a flirty undertone to their conversations, and tonight had been no different, but something felt more palpable as they sat in the car, knees touching while she ran her hands along her dress. Without thinking, much like the initial acceptance of his invitation earlier in the evening, she leaned in to kiss him. The kiss was great, not disrobe you right there intense, but something that would make Nancy Reagan blush. As she pulled away she smirked at his wide-eyed expression. "I just wanted to know what it would be like. Goodnight Logan."

He watched her walk out of the car as the driver kept asking for his address to take him home, but he couldn't focus on anything except for her silhouette as she greeted the doorman with a smile and made her way to the elevator. He watched in agony trying to figure out if he should follow her and kiss her exactly like how he wanted to, how he had wanted to all those years ago. He had been intrigued by her as a conquest at first, all those years ago, then he found himself caring about her, then he made her a friendly acquaintance, then she had faded into a distant memory for years while he was in London. But tonight, the desire came back when he first saw her without ever realizing who she was, the caring, it had come back somewhere in that late-night dinner, but that kiss was amazing. He watched her as she waited for the elevator, the inner turmoil on if he should follow her drowned out the driver's question.


	2. Chapter 2

**AATT 2**

 **A/N: I own nothing**

He watched her get on the elevator, turn around and smile warmly at him and then the doors closed. His moment to chase her down, kiss her again, follow her up to her apartment and make that next time they had been talking about be breakfast in the morning, instead of tacos after an event, was gone. He finally registered what they driver had been asking and he gave an address, it was a simple drive, no more than 10 minutes away from her place, but before he felt the car move he saw the screen above the elevator stop with two letters, "PH". _Well, Miss Gilmore certainly did well for herself._ He tried to tip the driver, even if he already knew he was being paid handsomely, he still wanted to give him something for his extra trouble, but the driver simply shook his head. "She said, consider it the next time Mr. Huntzberger."

Logan walked into his building, muttering something about a devious woman, but he couldn't help the smile on his face. He had been attracted to Rory at Yale, he had planned on making some kind of move on her a few weeks after the break-up happened, but then she got back together with him, and then went on a date with Robert and the last thing he wanted was to make Robert smug about dating someone he once did. So, he felt he had missed his chance with Rory Gilmore, he liked the friendliness they held for each other, the very surface level friendship as it were. Then he went to London and he had forgotten about her, falling in love, getting his heart stomped on, and now the move. But tonight? Tonight, he had fun, their banter had never left, their flirtatiousness that had always lingered was still there, and then that kiss. _"I just wanted to know what it would be like."_ God, what a parting line was that, it was the subtle flirt, the innocence that she had possessed in college with the spark that was always ingrained in her.

He changed into a pair of basketball shorts and a terribly ratty T-Shirt and pulled out his laptop. It didn't matter that he had been at a society function on behalf of his family, his dad and the company had never stopped trying to get ahold of him. So, he worked for another few hours before he decided to check on her work. Typing her name in yielded results some about her failed marriage but most were her articles. She was a features writer for The New York Times turned editor and she was damn good. The nickname he had given her all those years ago really seemed to fit even more now.

After reading a few articles that she had written he had decided to look at the few articles in regard to her marriage ending. The couple weren't celebrities by any stretch, but he was a highly sought-after New York attorney who wasn't unknown by any means, and she was a huge asset to the Times. Add that on top of the incredibly wealth headed her way by means of lineage, it was no surprise that her name would pop up in something other than a byline. He looked at pictures of them together, they smiled warmly at each other, he held her hand affectionately and the smile she gave him seemed genuine. There was a blinding sense of companionship, happiness, and contentment, even in the paparazzi shot of them after what was dubbed a "possible reconciliation coffee," there seemed to be no ill will. It was actually refreshing to see.

In all of his perusal he stumbled upon her Facebook, without a second thought he clicked the add friend button. Once he did, he quickly got the confirmation back. He spent the next 30 minutes going over her Facebook, seeing the life she had been living lately. Her pictures featured her and some friends he knew she had from her Yale years, there were some recent travel pictures of her standing in an outdoor market surrounded by intricately woven carpets, her grandfather's arm wrapped around her with a look of pride on his face as he smiled for the camera. The caption simply read, _"From Fes, With Love."_ Her smile was intoxicating, she looked tanned and relaxed, he looked down at her fingers that were shown and realized it was post-divorce.

He read a few more articles before he finally decided that 3 A.M. was a decent enough time to finally go to sleep, so he climbed into the king-sized bed that had finally been delivered and fell asleep quickly. Before he did though he remembered the new friend, he had made that evening and messaged Rory over Facebook, realizing they never exchanged any type of card. "Until next time Ace, because that, was definitely worth the wait."

RLRLRL

Rory could feel his eyes on her, or at least, she thought she could. It was the only thing keeping her from turning around or pacing as she waited for the elevator to bring her up to her apartment. Sure enough, when she turned into the elevator she saw the car sitting there. She mustered up every ounce of courage she wasn't aware she had and smiled at him. It wasn't a fake smile, in fact, it was probably the most genuine smile she had worn in months. However, the moment the doors closed she felt herself start to pace. She couldn't see his reaction to her, it was probably for the best if she was honest. Was he mad at the kiss, did she do it wrong, did he like it as much as she did? The pacing quickened as the elevator ascended the building, she couldn't believe she kissed him, couldn't believe that he was here.

She entered her penthouse apartment that was now far to big for one person, but it housed her library and she wouldn't give it up for all the money in the world. As she walked into the house she touched the panel that allowed her to preselect her options of "home-comfort" and her favorite music started playing throughout the house from built-in speakers, while her gas fireplace turned on. She walked over to grab a water bottle from her refrigerator and then promptly set it down. She kept pacing around, the fire not able to settle her, the books she picked up not having their same calming effect as they usually do, even the melodies of her playlist weren't enough to drown out the cacophony of doubt that was building inside her.

The only thing that did pierce through her thoughts was the chime of her phone, during the day she would turn her ringer off because the sound was to much, but at night she always turned it on just in case she had to take a call from someone or had a crisis. Tonight, had been no different but she hadn't expected anyone to get ahold of her at 1:40 in the morning so the sound seemed especially foreign to her at the moment. She quickly reached for her phone and saw the impending Facebook request, because she was very of the moment these days she quickly added him. She reasoned with herself that it was nothing, a simple addition on a social media site did not a great romance make. But she couldn't help but look at the pictures that had been shared by him.

He had a devious smirk that was almost omnipresent in his photos, these weren't like the ones that showed up in society pages, these pictures were real, and they were fun. She saw him tagged in picture after picture with Colin and Finn. _How are those three even still alive after all their stunts?_ She couldn't help but wonderful after she got to an album that was pictures of them sky- diving in Rio. After she had a few close calls with almost liking something from to far back she realized she needed to close the app and walk away from it for a little bit. She couldn't be caught cyber-stalking him this soon, right?

However, it didn't stop her from Googling him. Everything seemed to line up with what he said, the rehearsed answer at least, but it was still nice to hear the in between, not necessarily the raw and unfiltered, but somewhere in between. It was nice to know they had confided in each other. At the last article she looked at describing his successes in London and what he planned to do for HPG back on this side of the Atlantic, she saw the picture of him. It was staged but it didn't stop him from looking good, and then she saw those same lips she had kissed earlier, and she could feel the doubts, the questions she had left unanswered, they raised up inside of her again.

She had wanted to know what it had been like, but now that she knew it would be impossible to get it out of her head. It had felt to good to ignore, but it felt to fiery to act on. She could feel the angel and devil on her shoulder, she had always found this trope to be contrite in entertainment but tonight remembering how he made her feel she could feel the devil telling her to give in, to find a way to run into him again, push their "next time" up. But then she could remember how it made her feel and how dangerous those kisses could be. Plus, she didn't know if he was feeling that too. She could hear the angel telling her that it was presumptuous of her, he might not be thinking about that kiss anymore. Those doubts were squashed as she exited the shower and prepared to get into bed when her phone lit up again. _"Until next time Ace, because that, was definitely worth the wait."_

Well… there goes the angel's argument.

 **A/N: No major Rogan interaction, but I wanted to get some stuff set up plus that's where I wanted to leave it.**

 **I wanted to say, the reason I had her and her husband split up happily (or contently) and Logan have a girlfriend between his ex and Rory was because I didn't want either of them on the rebound and overly hurt, but I also didn't want to be that they had been single all this time. (No one asked, I just felt like over explaining.) Thank you all for the feedback and the love. I'm really excited about this story.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: The Second Chance**

It had been 2 weeks since they last spoke, she would like to say she missed him, but the fact of the matter was she hadn't had time to miss anyone lately, least of all someone who she shared one fun night, one mind-blowing kiss, and one flirty message with. It's not to say she hadn't thought about him, because she had but she just didn't have the time to dwell on her thoughts. She cracked her neck and rolled her head from side-to-side, glancing at her clock and hating that it was already 9:12 p.m. and she was in no position to pack up her desk and go home. She knew she was to tired to work from home right now and she had to get this layout done, once it was done she could go home, enjoy the three-day weekend she had allotted herself, this one layout was the only standing in the way between her and a glass of wine and the weekend.

She was brought out of her thoughts by her office phone ringing, making her jump out of her chair and almost miss the call. "Rory Gilmore." There was no answer on the other side of the call. "Um, hello?... Listen, I'm not sure who this is but can you say something? Anything?" The line went dead, and panic started to creep in. She lived in New York City, she was used to the constant undercurrent of fear and watching behind your back even in broad daylight. But this wasn't broad daylight, this was an empty building and she hadn't taken the krav maga training that Paris had signed her up for as a Christmas present. The only consolation, the only thought that had provided any sort of comfort was the fact that this was a secured building, but it didn't stop her from reaching into her bag and pulling out the pepper spray, hiding it in her hand under her desk.

Her grip loosens a little bit, and about 10 minutes after the phone call she sets it down on her desk and focuses on the task at hand. Rory keeps trying to pep herself up, if she can just finish this one task she's home free but then suddenly there's an email in her inbox and she audibly groans. _Maybe, if I take my eyes off of this layout for a minute and answer this email, I can actually get somewhere._ It's a faulty reason at best but she'd need to answer it anyway. The subject line jumps out at her and she can't help but smile as she reads _"In Omnia Paratus"_ there is no name in the sent line, not that she would need one anyone. And for the first time in two weeks she allows herself to really think about him, really think about the man she had been reckless with all those years ago.

After a few minutes of reflection on their jump, and the cryptic email she decided to stretch and walk to the break room and to the restroom, when she arrived back at her office there was a blindfold and a note. _"I found the issue with the layout, check it if you don't believe me, meet me downstairs at 10 o'clock. P.S. The blindfold isn't necessary this time, but it's always fun to have around isn't it?"_

She looked at the clock and saw that it was 12 minutes to 10, she could easily forgo the whole evening, there was still time to slip out and head home, curl up on the couch with wine and fall asleep to trashy television, but there was the nagging feeling that she shouldn't. She had not had excitement in months, and even that excitement was a wonderful trip to Morocco, but with her grandpa, it was wonderful and beautiful and a great escape. But it was full of quiet moments and museums, it was nothing like this night would surely be, she bet her salary on that. She looked down at her computer and sure enough the layout was wonderful and honestly it helped her make her mind up, so she sent it to the editor-in-chief. She went to pack up her desk, planning on possibly working from home after the inevitable hangover subsided but with one last glance at the note and blindfold she left her work there for the first time since she could remember. She locked up her office and made her way downstairs, when the elevator doors shut behind her she felt herself involuntarily shudder, there was no draft in the elevator, no chill in the air, but the breeze of excitement was enough to chill her whole body.

The elevator doors opened yet again as she entered the lobby, she saw him standing by the entrance with his hands in pockets and he was leaning forward. He turned to her when he heard the elevator announce her arrival. He had seen her when he had hidden out to put the note on her desk but as she stood there, smiling at him like they had some sort of inside joke he couldn't but feel the words catch in his throat. They stood there for a few minutes before she broke the silence that was between them.

"Didn't we say next time would be tacos?"

"Who says it isn't?"

"Something tells me that "In Omnia Paratus" should be something more exciting than going down to a food truck in Manhattan."

"Wow, you're a hard girl to impress Gilmore."

"And you're a liar Huntzberger." She smirked at him and he could feel himself smile genuinely at her before he walked over to her and offered his arm. "So, honestly Logan what are we doing this evening?"

"Well, I went by your place and you weren't there and before you make a comment, yes it was presumptuous, but I figured I just got back from being out of town again and I saw that you had a hell of a week and admittedly so did I. I thought we deserved a night out on the town, nothing exciting, this is just me asking to move up our 'next time.'"

"What if I would have had plans?" She retorted quickly, refusing to acknowledge that her stomach did butterflies when he spoke about wanting to see her when he got into town.

"You just can't let yourself have fun and give into the evening, can you?"

"Depends, what are we actually doing?"

"Dinner, drinks, you'll be home in time for a subpar sleep before you have to go into the office tomorrow."

He led her out to the waiting car and slid in after her. They were driving for a few minutes before she once again broke the silence. The silence unnerved her a bit, not because it was uncomfortable but because it was too filled with something she couldn't place her finger on. "That layout was perfect, thank you. I couldn't get it to work out and I really wanted to get out of there this evening."

"You're welcome, it looked good, but you're right, it didn't need that last tweak."

"Listen, I might sound deranged but that was you that called me, right? About an hour ago?"

He smirked, "It was me, when you weren't at your apartment I tried the next place I was hoping to find you."

"You have heard of cell phones, right? They're an amazing invention honestly, and someone in your position should really be abreast of the newest technology."

"I wanted to surprise you, Ace." He smirked at her in a charming way that always did disarm her, even all those years ago. "Well, that and I don't actually have your cell phone number." He added sheepishly.

She couldn't help the bark of laughter that escaped her lips. "So, then how did you get my office number? And into my building?" She added after a moment of thought.

He raised his eyebrows at her waiting for her to connect the dots that should have been obvious, when a few extra seconds passed it was his turn to laugh at her expense. "Uh, don't you mean my building?" He watched her face as it all clicked.

"Oh my god! Of course, wow, that honestly should not have been as big of a surprise as it was I guess. Huh? I'm sorry, I haven't slept a lot these past few weeks, that's actually why I was there so late tonight. I'm taking a mental health day tomorrow and just giving myself a three-day weekend to recharge." Suddenly her eyes went wide, and she covered her mouth quickly. "I probably shouldn't be telling the head boss that I'm just skipping out on work tomorrow." Then another realization passed over her. "You're my boss! Oh no, I can't be here with you or seen with you! Hey, why are you smirking like that?! I don't want to get in trouble."

"I'm sorry, is your freak-out over? Because I've never seen someone have so many mild epiphanies in a thirty second period. Yes Rory, I'm your boss kind of, but you aren't going to get in trouble for taking a mental health day, in fact after that freak out I highly encourage it. Being seen with me won't get you in trouble either so please calm down."

"You're my boss though! There is probably a rule that discourages fraternization isn't there?"

"I'm sorry, fraternization? This isn't the '50's and yes, I'm sure there's a rule but my father breaks it like most people change their underwear. It's truly not an issue. And, do you expect, how did you word it, 'fraternization' to occur?" The smirk would have gotten her, but she could have held her own, it was that damn tone of voice and the twinkle in his eye that made her heart skip a beat and give in to his charm. She rolled her eyes and turned her head to the side, but he still caught the way her eyes darkened, the way her cheeks flushed, and the way she almost seemed to avoid his stare.

He watched her as she watched the passing New York scene. It was an easy sight to be captivated by, the way people walked around you without care, the way the city was constantly lit up either by day light or night life. It was an intoxicating city and he watched as she took it all in and visibly relaxed. He had watched her for a moment earlier when they were back at her office, she wasn't aware he was there, hoping to surprise her but he watched her as she sat slouched over her desk, looking like her shoulders were going to give out under the weight she seemed to put there. But now, with each passing moment her shoulders seemed to loosen up, the worry lines seemed to unfurl, and the straight line that was her lips turned into a smile with each passing block.

Once she felt she got all of her wits about her she decided to look at him again, only to catch him staring at her. "I swear if you use some cheesy line."

"I won't I promise. I will keep all of my thoughts in my head because most of them are incredibly cheesy though." They pulled up in front of a Mexican restaurant and Logan helped escort her out of the car. Once seated she ordered the biggest margarita she could, while he ordered a Corona.

"So, tell me, do you see anyone from Yale anymore?" She knew the answer to her own question, but she couldn't very well let him know that she cyber stalked him.

"You mean besides the beautiful woman sitting across from me?" She rolled her eyes. "I see Colin, and Finn around a lot. We're still pretty much a team, even with my departure to London. They would come visit from time-to-time and now that we're all in New York it's easier."

"Why didn't you invite them out tonight?"

He shrugged as if it was nothing when he said, "I just found better company."

She couldn't help herself from smiling but she tried to hide it behind the margarita that had been delivered to their table. However, that drink proved to be a bad idea when she heard him ask his question which caused her to choke on her drink. "So, how was Fes?"

After a few awkward coughs she finally regained her composure. "Fes, it was great. It was a great trip that provided a nice getaway. But, I'm pretty sure I didn't mention that when we talked last." She smiled a knowing smile at him and he shot her one right back.

"What can I say, I wanted to see what I was getting myself into."

"Oh yeah, and you still decided to show up at my office like a night stalker?"

"What can I say, I saw that Tim Curry episode of Criminal Minds and I thought besides the criminal activity why not surprise you a bit."

"You could have just stopped at Tim Curry and I would've understood."

They were 4 drinks in at this point and apparently guards were down. "You know, I really thought you were going to ask me out back at Yale. I was kind of shocked when Robert did." It was his turn to choke on his drink, her forwardness taking him off guard. It seems those margaritas were stronger than his beers were.

"I thought about it, had a plan and everything."

"Oh yeah, and what was your wonderful way to woo me?"

"That makes it sounds like a Dr. Seuss book."

"Well then turn it into a rhyme." She challenged him.

"There once was a boy from Hartford…"

"Never mind, I take it back as I don't think I'm drunk enough for that."

"Very well, Finn is really the better wordsmith between the three of us anyhow."

"You know, after his Passion of the Christ, I'll take your word for it and hope I never have to see it."

"Excellent self-preservation skills."

He almost redirected the conversation back to what they were talking about but decided against it. He was having fun, she was having fun, and they didn't have sordid past they had to sift though. Tonight, they could be overworked business colleagues who just so happened to be old friends, but then he saw the way she laughed, and he suddenly heard her voice inside his head again, the same thing he had been hearing for the past few weeks. _"I just wanted to know what it would be like."_

He had been thinking about that single sentence and that kiss lately, prompting him to pull a risky move and surprising her at her office like he did, he's sure the biggest reason it worked in his favor was because of his charm and his good looks. But, judging by her expression and the banter they had shared all evening he was doing something right and he wasn't the only one feeling the spark between the two of them.

RLRLRL

They had made sure to not get to close at the restaurant, always just a few subtle touches, and sometimes he would watch the goosebumps form on her arms. Even when they got back to the car that was to take her home, they made sure that they weren't to close. It was almost like an unspoken rule, Logan knew if he got to close he wouldn't be able to resist the urge he had been fighting all evening to kiss her like she had kissed him. But he was still on edge, not wanting to push his luck with her, it had been a great evening and the last thing he wanted to do was make it the last great evening he shared with her, so he maintained a gentleman's length away.

She kept her distance, knowing that if she got closer, even with the liquid courage mostly out of her system she would still act in a way that she was finding only he could bring out of her and it terrified her. She could hear the Devil winning in her mind, knowing that something like this, this passion wasn't an everyday thing. It couldn't be right? This slow burn between them couldn't be something most people experience on a daily basis, otherwise people would never get anything done. Now that she had taken the time to relax, she remembered the kiss, remembered how much it shocked her system. So, for that reason, she couldn't be the one to make the first move again. Because she wasn't sure she could stop herself if she did, and she didn't want him to reject her if he wasn't feeling it. Even if it did seem like he could feel it too.

They pulled up in front of her building, back at the scene of the crime, and with a cursory smile she kissed his cheek and slipped out of the car. Thanking him for a lovely evening, all the while she could feel the potential rejection deep in her stomach. When the door closed with a thud he told the driver to head home, as he hurried and grabbed the door handle on his side, hoping to catch her as he watched her stand at the elevator, yet again.

She couldn't look back at the car, scared, once again, that he would already be gone. She stepped into the elevators and as she did she felt two strong arms push turn her around and push her against the wall and before she knew it she could smell the cologne, mixed with Coronas and she could feel his lips on hers barely registering the elevator doors closing to the side of them.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: When Two Doors Close**

 **A/N: I'm going to be completely frank here, I cannot write smut, to embarrassed to try. Doesn't mean I won't allude to it though.**

She barely had time to register his lips on hers but the moment she did lost all control she thought she had possessed. She watched the angel that had put up such a fight be disintegrated into nothingness as she took control of the kiss, turning them around placing his back on the elevator wall. She felt the earlier feelings of rejection melt away and she realized that this kiss was nothing at all like the first one and the first one had been enough to send her into a tail spin. This one was going to be the death of her, she was almost positive about it. And the moan that just was just emitted from his lips proved she wasn't alone in her thinking.

He pushed her off of him and himself off of the wall, not because he wanted the kiss to end, but because they were still in an elevator and he had just had every ounce of breath taken out of him. He didn't know what he expected when he followed her into the elevator, he had thought he was in store for a regular good night kiss, he had hoped for a kiss like last time, he was rewarded with one of the best make-outs he had ever had. He watched her as she tried to regain her breath, staring at the numbers on the elevators as they made their way to her floor. Finally, he spoke up. "I figured the night couldn't end without a good night kiss."

She finally tore her gaze away from the numbers and smirked at him as the elevator dinged, alerting them to the fact that they were finally at their destination. He was resigned to the fact that he was going back downstairs, she hadn't said anything, he had technically pushed her off, so now he had to go downstairs, grab a cab and then spend the evening replaying that amazing few minutes in his head. As he reached to press the button she finally spoke again, grabbing his tie and wrapping it around her hand. "I think we need to figure out who is buying breakfast tomorrow." She winked at him as she pulled him to her door and into the apartment.

RLRLRLRL

"Well, I guess that blindfold came in handy?" He said as he kissed her shoulder as they laid on her king-sized bed that felt filled for the first time since she had gotten it a few months ago.

"Definitely good to have around." She nodded in agreement as she smiled into his chest. She had her legs tangled up in his as she felt his fingers trace lines on her bare back.

"Always be—"

"Is this the part of the evening where you kick me out saying you have a really early morning tomorrow and you had a great time and you'll call me?" He said with a mocking tone and only a smidge of disappointment. "Because, I know you have a whole day of nothing planned, actually you said you had 3 days of nothing planned, and I'm pretty sure my ego can't take that rejection."

"Excuse me Huntzberger, didn't I say I expected breakfast in the morning? I'm sorry, you think I'm done with you yet? Unless you're some kind of work dork who has to leave to make sure you get home in time for a decent night's sleep to attend some awful board meeting tomorrow?" The questions had the same tone as his did, the mocking was very prevalent but underneath it the same disappointment. She had left to go into the kitchen as she said it, not to hide from the conversation but to focus on her original task. He followed her out, throwing on his boxers on the way.

He found her standing at her pantry searching for any kind of food. "Actually, I always try to book myself a light day after I come home from a trip if I can, and tomorrow I could. I wasn't exactly done with you yet either." He said as he wrapped his arms around her body and held her from behind. He nipped her ear at his last sentence.

"Well, now that we've reached a consensus that this night is no where near over at," she glanced over to the clock above the stove. "2:15 in the morning, I say we get some food."

"Not exactly where I was going with the 'night not being over' comment, but sure. Food sounds good. What do you have?" He looked into her refrigerator as he saw her pantry was bare. "My god, you eat a lot of takeout."

She just shrugged at his observation. "It's just easier, I'm usually at the office or working from home, plus Jameson was the cook in the family, not me and even then, he'd usually make dinner and leave me a plate to reheat. I just tend to eat more on the go."

"I do the same, I can't remember the last time I actually cooked."

She pointed to the pizza box as she grabbed a few water bottles and started the coffee maker. "That pizza should still be good if you'd like it?"

He nodded his head and she pointed to the cabinet with the plates as he started to reheat it.

Once they had their food and beverages they ate at the expansive kitchen island. "So, brothers, sisters, eccentric cousins?"

"You'd think we would have covered this the past two evenings out, huh?" She asked as she bit down on her pizza.

"Well, technically we're still on night two and I figured instead of focusing on how good your legs look I'd at least try to pretend to be a gentleman and make conversation."

"Fair point. I have a half-sister on my dad's side named Gigi, she is 14 so God help us all. And my mom and her husband have a little boy who is 6, which, God help my mother. Oh, and my mom's dog Paul Anka, my mom requests that I acknowledge him as my brother. What about you?"

"Just Honor."

"As in a judge? Is that one of the eccentric cousins?"

"She's definitely eccentric, but no, she's my sister. She has a husband named Josh, he's fine." He said the last part in a dry tone.

"Wow, what did the poor guy ever do to you?"

"Have you met someone and that, I'd have a better conversation with printer paper?"

She laughed but then suddenly, "Oh! Yes! There's this guy down in the Politics section, Preston Welsh."

"He's less interesting than printer paper? I've read some of stuff, he seemed good."

"That's what is so crazy, he's an exceptionally good writer, I worked with him on the Obama trail, but it's like he saves all words for his writing."

"As his boss' boss' boss, I'm happy to hear that admittedly." He said with a smirk.

"Fair, but just if you're ever in the political section, have a caffeine boost before you head to his desk. But anyway, sorry, you were saying your sister is married? Is she older or younger than you are?"

"Older by about 3 years. They have 2 kids, they live in a perfect Hartford mansion, completely settled and happy." He almost appeared to go off into his own world.

She almost didn't broach the subject but the way he spoke, with a sense of longing, she felt it was probably best to get it out of the way. "Do you want that?"

Her question startled him out of his thoughts. "Want what?"

"The perfect mansion, the wife, 2.5 kids, the Hartford Life?" She was admittedly scared of his answer, not knowing how she wanted it to go. He was the first thing in her life that felt easy, and natural and exciting. But also, scary, and reckless, and exhilarating. It was two dates that they had been on, she wasn't wanting him to drop down on one knee and propose in the middle of her kitchen, but she did want to know that if he wanted that life, the Stepford life, this couldn't go much further, and she would have been sad to give that up. Yes, they could have gone to being friends, but after the chemistry they just displayed she had a feeling that would be much harder than it would have been just a few hours ago.

He took a long sigh not knowing the right answer to this question, so he decided to just be as honest as possible. "That life works great for a lot of people, my sister included. I don't know how my life would look 'settled.' I know that I crave a home base, and I had that for a while until it all blew up. I enjoyed the life of coming home to someone, or having someone come home to me, I enjoyed the safety of that, knowing you have someone there to catch you if you fall. But, I don't need someone who is content doing my bidding or feels like they have to put themselves into a box to only serve me. My ex, she claims she cheated because I worked a lot and she was tired of being a kept woman." He rolled his eyes and managed to catch Rory doing the same, she didn't see their shared reaction, but he did, and he couldn't help but smile. "I thought and still do think it was a false reason, or the way she justified it in her head. But it showed me that I need someone who can understand that." She shook her head in understanding. "So, did I pass?"

"As long as it was the truth, then yes."

"Well, what about you, you had the married life, do you see yourself down that path again?"

"If it's with the right person, it would be worth trying again. But the right person has to be willing to understand that my work, my goals, my dreams, are important. Not to the detriment of my life necessarily, but it is something I focus on and I don't make apologizes for it. He never cared that I worked, and if our issues would have been fixed by simply not putting in 80 hours a week at our respective jobs, then I bet we would have both cut back to work it out. It just wasn't the issue. I just can't be with someone who would, to use your wording from earlier, put me in a box." After a few beats of silence, she looked up at him. "So, did I pass?"

He smiled at her and nodded his head.

"Good. To be honest, I was scared you'd say you needed someone to be like my grandmother who lives for my grandfather, and while that is so sweet to watch, and it works for some people, it's just not for me. And my mom is on the opposite end of the spectrum, she'll put most things ahead of her romantic interests and she finally figured it out when I graduated college. I'm hoping to find a happy middle. But I was worried that if you were looking for that perfect society life than this," she gestured between the two of them and then in the vague direction of her bedroom, earning herself a smirk from Logan. "whatever this is between us, would have had to end tonight, which would be a damn shame." She wiggled her eyebrows at him. "I don't even know what this is, I just know that I don't expect anything serious right away, but I can't be in something if we want two completely different things. Does that make sense or am I scaring you off?

His hair was already messy and the hand he ran through it didn't help matters, except somehow it made him that much better looking. "You're making perfect sense, no scaring at all. I won't lie to you, this has been two great kind of dates, and an amazing night. I don't know what this is, but I'd like to continue it."

She grabbed the now empty dishes and set them in the sink and grabbed his hand while she walked backwards towards her room. "How about we 'continue this' in the bedroom?"

"Remember what we said about cheesy lines earlier? They work for you."

RLRLRLRL

Just a few short hours after they fell asleep Logan's phone alarm went off at 7:30 he begrudgingly shut it off as he wrapped Rory up in his arms when he heard her muffled voice.

"You know, I took a personal day to rest, and sleep in, if I would have known you were going to wake me up I don't know if I would have allowed you to sleep over." She looked up at him and he saw the joking glint in her eye.

"I think I made it well worth your while Miss Gilmore, plus at least you get to go back to sleep, I have to trudge myself down the street, shower, change and still go into work."

"That is a good point, I get to sleep, and relax, maybe even sit at a coffee shop and read something other than an article I need to proof."

As he started to get up and put the clothes on for his walk of shame he suddenly stopped. "What are you doing this evening?"

"Bravo marathon, wine, popcorn, sweatpants."

"Wow, hot." He deadpanned. "Got a white hat to go with that gladiator evening there Ace?"

"You know, it's not nice to make fun of someone's plans. What do you have going on? Working, followed by a quick snack at your desk, then more work?"

"Well I was going to invite you out with me and the boys tonight, but since someone is being mean maybe I should rethink my offer."

"You don't have to do that Logan."

"Do what?"

"Invite me out along with you for a boy's night. I'm sure you would have much more fun without me and you just had to deal with me for almost 12 straight hours."

"Yes, and I want to spend this evening with you too. Come on, one night and then I'll leave you to your quiet weekend. Plus, you have the whole day to rest up."

"I'm not sure. I'll think about it though." She answered distractedly as she watched him put on his slacks, even wrinkled and a mess they still hugged certain attributes of his perfectly. He turned around and caught her mid-stare.

"You know, my ass will be at the bar too tonight." She blushed at his call out but quickly shook her head. "Listen, I'll be here at 8 to pick you up, sound good?"

"Whoever said I was going?" She challenged him as she walked him to the door, but she knew she would be going. How could she not?

RLRLRL

That evening at 7:20 she was standing in front of her closet when she decided to pull in the big guns and Facetime her mom. "Hey sweets! What's going on? Oh, your hair looks pretty and great makeup job. Let me guess, fashion advice needed?"

"Please!" Rory pleaded as she held up a deep purple dress that hit mid-thigh and had short sleeves on it with a V-neck, it was nice, definitely good for a club, but she just wasn't sure.

"I will help you under one condition."

"I can't babysit this weekend or next."

"Not my condition but I'll keep that in mind for your next emergency. No, my condition is that you tell me why you need advice."

"I'm going to a bar with some friends." Rory tried to be evasive, even turning the camera to show off her closet instead of her face.

"Rory, you've been going to bars for years and successfully dressing yourself for even longer, so who is the guy?"

"There is no guy."

"Rory, come on, who is the guy."

Rory groaned and told her the story about Logan, from the first time they saw each other in years, to the past almost 24 hours including the heavier conversation they had. She left out the particularly vivid details though to preserve some sanctity.

"Wow kid, I'm surprised I'm just now hearing about this."

"Well, I have been so busy lately that I just hadn't taken stop to think clearly. I probably would have been at that office until midnight or later if Logan hadn't made me stop and actually enjoy the evening."

"I'm already liking this kid more and more."

"He seems like a good guy mom, he was a good guy back in college but now he's just more focused and I don't know, I don't know what it could be, but it will be fun to see-"

"Oh, oh pick that one! That one!" Lorelei quickly interrupted.

"What, this red one?" Rory held up a dress just like the purple dress from earlier.

"Yes! It will look great on you, perfect for date night and for making an impression on his friends, plus if you guys feel like dancing it's a good dress for that too as it won't be to tight that you're suffocating. Pair it with some dark blue pumps and you'll be great."

"Thank you so much, mom!"

"You're welcome, and kid, it doesn't have to lead anywhere serious, and it is okay to have fun, remember that okay?"

"I will." She hung up the phone and shimmied into the dress and shoes, just as she was throwing on a red lip stain she heard the door bell ring. When she answered the door, she couldn't help but gawk, gone were the wrinkled clothes from this morning, now he was in a red, small plaid pattern buttoned down with the sleeves rolled up and blue slacks that matched his tie which was hanging loosely around his neck. Without thinking she let out a breath. "Damn, Huntzberger you look good."

His head shot up at her words and he sent her a charming smile as he raked his eyes over her body and he took off his tie. "Nothing compared to you, holy shit."

"Flattery will get you everywhere my friend." She smiled as he grabbed her waist and kissed her in the doorway.

"Ah, I think I'm more than just a friend, don't you think Ace?"

"Good point. Come in for a minute, I just have to grab something."

He walked in behind her as she was gathering her clutch for the evening, he set his tie down on the living room end table.

"Ready to go?" She asked him as she walked out of the kitchen holding her small bag.

"Whenever you are."

"I'm ready." She went to follow him out of her apartment as he went to grab the tie she grabbed his hand to stop him. "Don't worry, just grab it when you leave tomorrow." She winked at him and then used the hand that was still holding his and led them out of the apartment. Bringing a groaning Logan with her into the elevator. Just like last night he had backed her into a wall and kissed her deeply before pulling away and bringing his lips to her ear.

"That wasn't very nice Ace. Game on." And he ran his finger up her thigh while barely nipping at her ear until the elevator doors opened and he walked off, leaving a very flustered Rory standing shock still for a few seconds until she hastily made her way into the lobby and off to the evening with his friends.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Do I know you?**

 **A/N: Still don't own anything. I also had to mess with the timeline of the original show a bit.**

They were the back of the cab, forgoing the hired cars for the evening knowing it was most likely going to be a late night. Rory was doing everything she could to ignore the words that were reverberating in her head and ignore the feelings it created in the pit of her stomach. It was only made harder by Logan's hand never leaving her thigh and the playful smile that was plastered on his face letting her know that the game was on and she would most likely lose.

"Stop it." She tried to say it sternly, but it didn't have the strength she had hoped it would behind her words.

"Stop what?" His voice and his hand teased as he felt her tense up. He was having to much fun working her up, he remembered how fun it was back all those years ago but now he knew that the fun was just a prelude to what he would experience later. Making it that much more interesting, and that much more rewarding.

"We are on the way to see your friends, per your request might I add. We can't be doing anything uncouth because you're bound and determined to win a game I never agreed on, might I add." Her points were losing steam, and they both knew it.

"First of all, my friends are two of the most uncouth people I've ever met, you remember Finn, yes?" She nodded her head in the affirmative. "It's not like he's magically matured. You being under my charm is not something they haven't seen before. It's completely fine. They've seen it with hundreds of girls." She gave him a pointed glare which caused him to laugh. "Maybe not the greatest point to make, but honestly, they liked you back then, they'll like you now. Somehow you've gotten more charming in your old age."

"Well you're just batting a thousand there, aren't you babe?" She teased him as they pulled up to the restaurant they were meeting the boys at. "Hey, before we go in, did Finn ever get Rosemary?"

"No, and somehow still a sore subject." Logan rolled his eyes as they made their way into the restaurant. "Now, here's what's going to happen. We're going to go in, order drinks and an appetizer, wait another 30 minutes and then hopefully they'll be there, by that point the actual evening can commence."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because I'm pretty sure those two have never been on time to anything in their life. Colin will say he was stuck in a meeting, Finn will say there was traffic, no one ever knows what they actually do but it's easier to pretend that their excuses are real."

"Why didn't we just come thirty minutes later?"

"What can I say, I wanted to spend some more time with you." He winked at her as they were led to their table. "Plus, I tend to show up on time, so for the first thirty minutes I always look like I'm being stood up on a date." He added with a fake pout as he sat down across from her in the booth they had.

She reached her hand across the table and cupped his face. "Aww, poor neglected boy. What if they're really at a meeting, and in traffic?" Rory asked and was surprised by Logan's bark of laughter that accompanied her question.

"That's funny, please ask them that when you see them."

RLRL

Sure enough, Logan was right and a little bit past 30 minutes from when they sat down they heard a distinct commotion coming from behind Rory. "Huntzberger, my best mate. I have finally arrived."

Logan looked down at his watch and then back up at Finn. "Ah, and late again as usual."

Finn winked at him as he slid into the seat next to Logan. "Sorry mate, traffic." He watched Logan smirk at Rory over his glass as he went to take a drink and he decided to address her. "Sorry Sheila didn't see you there for a minute. Have I met you?"

Rory laughed and turned to Logan. "You know, I never knew if he was kidding or not back then or now."

"Back then? Wait I have met you before?"

Just as he said this another voice joined the four of them. "Huntzberger, you actually got Gilmore to agree after all these years?"

"Nice to see you Colin." She greeted him as he slid in next to her.

"Have I apologized for their behavior yet?" She smiled in response to Logan's question. "Because I owe you a huge apology."

"We'll discuss the terms later." She returned the smirk that was on his face as Finn looked at her closer. "Can I help you Finn?"

"We've seriously met before?"

"Several times."

RLRLRL

They ordered food and drinks for the two new arrivals before they started going over their post college life. "So, Colin how have things been with you?"

"Took over at my dad's firm, wear a suit and a tie every day, same as the rest of us."

"Honestly it's a much better improvement from the sweater vests if I'm being honest."

"Wow Gilmore, it's so nice to have you back."

"No, she's right, no one enjoys a sweater vest Colin." Finn piped up.

"Huntz, a little help here? Anything?" Colin looked to his friend for any reprieve.

"I plead the fifth. But you do like nice in a tie."

"Et, tu Brutus?" Logan just shrugged his shoulders as he continued eating and running his foot up Rory's thigh catching her subtly glaring at him and shaking her head no.

"Hey, angry still works for you." Logan flirted to Rory over the table.

"OH MY GOD YOU'RE REPORTER GIRL!" Finn shouted loudly, causing Colin to 'shush' him.

Rory stared at Finn with an incredulous look on her face. "It just clicked? We've been here an hour and you've swapped stories with us for that whole time and it just clicked that I was reporter girl?"

"I'd like to pretend that I'm ashamed but honestly it's just a surprise I remembered this quickly."

"What made you remember oh so quickly then?" Rory asked him while Logan and Colin watched silently while laughing to themselves.

"The angry still works for you. Logan used to purposely goad you just to see you riled up we were going to bust into a classroom and preform a skit for you, but Logan ended up cancelling it. I never did get to wear that police uniform, at least out in public."

Rory looked at him in horror and then looked around the table. "I've never wanted to hear a story less in my life."

"So, Love, after we graduated what did you do with your life?"

"We just went over this, your long- and short-term memory are something of a marvel." Logan finally added to the conversation.

RLRL

Close to one in the morning Rory and Logan were crawling back to her penthouse. "Don't get me wrong, it was fun getting to 'remeet' your friends but my god, they are exhausting."

"Maybe it's just the old age?"

"That is the second time you've called me old tonight, is it the wrinkles?"

"There's no wrinkles, it's just all the maturity and knowledge."

"Okay good, because I spend a lot on a face cream to help me not wrinkle. And wait, if it's my maturity and knowledge causing me to be so tired, what's your excuse?"

Logan sent her a jokingly pointed look.

"We're on a funky sleeping schedule, usually it doesn't seem this daunting. Do you want me to go? I mean, I know you alluded to me coming back here tonight and I just assumed?"

Rory looked a little alarmed when she thought about it, she had alluded to it and if she was honest she wanted him to stay for reasons she couldn't quite place her finger on. It'd be easy to say it was just for the intimacy but the way her whole body and mind ached right now she knew that that particular activity wouldn't be at the forefront of the evening. The truth was, the company, the conversation, was fun and easy and relaxing in a way she hadn't experienced in a while.

"Can I be honest?" She finally said after taking a breath.

"Of course." He grabbed his tie and started to put on his shoes, having a feeling where this was going to go.

"No, no, Logan stop." She gently reached over to stop him as she bit her lip in nervousness. "Listen, being with you, it feels easy. It feels fun, and exciting and in a strange way relaxing. You're more than welcome to stay the night, I just don't know if I'm up for the more 'intimate' of activities. But if you're cool with that, then by all means, stay."

She caught the smile that for a moment almost looked like a beam. "I'm good with that. You have a pretty comfy bed so even if the company was terrible, it would be well worth it." He pulled her closer to him. "Luckily for me, the company is pretty damn great."

"I was worried I'd come off clingy." She finally admitted after a few moments of silence. "I mean, it's only been a few dates, and we talked about it last night obviously. I just want to continue having fun and right now you're one of the fun things I have in my life."

"Well, we're in an agreement then." As he kissed her there was a question nagging in the back of his mind that he couldn't quite get out of there.

RLRL

Later that evening Logan watched her sleep. It was easy to find her attractive all those years ago, but he was always worried about getting close to her, knowing that if he ever did it wouldn't be simple, it would be something and at the time that scared him. Sometimes it still did. Especially looking at the girl that for all intents and purposes shouldn't be the first thing he thought of when he landed just last night, he shouldn't have spent his day thinking about her and hoping his friends would still be just as happy with her hanging around as they were back in college.

Now, she was beautiful, and smart, and successful, she was easy to fall for in so many ways. Ways he hadn't fallen for someone in a long time.

"Take a picture, it will last longer." Her mumbled voice came startled him and caused him to jump.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize we were at the stage of middle school comebacks, should I say something about rubber and glue now?"

"Why aren't you sleeping? If you say something about how beautiful I am, I swear to God Huntzberger I will kick you out of this bed and you will do the walk of shame without any of the fun."

"Wow, someone is full of themselves, Ace. I was just going to say I was thinking about a meeting I had earlier." She looked up at him with a sense of disbelief.

"Fine, I'll take that excuse for now because I'm tired. Now stop staring at me." She curled herself up into his side with her head on his chest and fell back asleep as soon as the words were out of her mouth. He looked down at her again and smiled all while thinking, _god, I'm in so much trouble._

 **A/N: Yes, they're having more serious conversations, or taking it fast, but I feel like if you're at that age, especially after a divorce in Rory's case, you would need to know what page the other is on before starting anything with someone you think may be more than just a one night stand.**


	6. Chapter 6

**AATT 6**

It had been two months of dating, albeit casually on paper, it was anything but, even if not spoken out loud they usually spent the weekend in one or the other's apartments, leaving the week to focus on the monotony of work, checking in frequently, and if a day was particularly bad they'd meet for drinks. It was a Thursday and he and Rory had plans for dinner tomorrow evening, but he hadn't heard from her much the night before and at all this morning, he decided it was as good of day as any to check into the New York Times office, he had been there before throughout his life but never to visit Rory during traditional work hours. He made his way through the building, he didn't want to run up to her office and cause a scene, and he didn't need to check in on the other reporters, so he made his way through each floor before finally reaching her office after about an hour of being there.

He noticed the door closed and the lights off, and no answer when he knocked. "She called in this morning." Logan jumped at the voice behind him before controlling his features and turning to the voice to find a man around his mid to early twenties with trimmed brunette hair.

"I'm sorry?"

"Miss Gilmore? She called in this morning. Andy Prescott." He added as he stuck his hand out to shake Logan's hand.

"Logan Huntzberger." He shook his hand back not missing the large gulp the man took when he gave his name. "Are you a reporter on this floor?" He wanted to see how much this man might know about Rory's call-out and if he might have information, he could have handled the lack of check-in if she was incredibly busy, hell, there had been plenty of days where one or the other would send a quick message saying that they were swamped and thinking of them. The lack of even a read receipt was worrying him more than he had expected it too, especially seeing her empty office now.

"Um… just a fact checker." He cleared his voice to try to gain some of the confidence back that he had before he heard Logan's name. Logan cursed silently in his head, he knew he wouldn't know much about why the editor was gone so he decided to be nice and make sure the boy didn't have a negative feeling toward Logan or have a negative feeling about his position.

"That's not a 'just' position, you make our reporters look like they know what they're talking about." Logan smiled at the young man. "Thank you for the information on Ms. Gilmore, I have a few other floors to visit and I just wanted to check in with the editors." With that Logan walked away, going through the other floors and meeting with other departments before he was finally able to make his leave and head to Rory's apartment.

When he arrived at the top level he knocked, hoping that she would be home and feeling kind of foolish for just showing up like this. After a few moments of standing awkwardly at her door he decided to knock one more time before he would go home and wait for her to get a hold of him. Just as he turned to the elevator, he heard her door open and he turned back around to see a clearly miserable Rory standing at her doorway.

"Ace? Babe, what's wrong?" He watched her eyes barely focus on him for a moment as she winced in pain.

"Logan?" Her tone was questioning, and quiet, even with her voice at just slightly above a whisper she still cringed at the single word that came out.

He brought his voice down to a whisper as he came over and hugged her. "Well, who else would call you ace? Yeah, it's me."

She hugged him back as he rubbed her back, still standing in the doorway, he looked behind her to see every light off in the house and every window covered. He didn't know it could get so dark in her apartment, or anywhere in New York to be honest. "What are you doing here?" She whispered as she left his embrace and made her way into the cave. Logan shivered as the air conditioning hit him like a wall.

"Well, the New York heat wave was really getting to me and I figured I'd follow the march of the penguins that were leading to your door." She sent him a small smile that he couldn't help but see caused her pain. "I hadn't heard from you, wanted to check on you." He finally admitted to her.

"That's sweet, I'm sorry we haven't talked. Last night I had a pile of work to do and as I was headed to bed I got hit with a migraine, the only thing that helps them is cold and dark. I barely had the energy to send an email to let people know I wouldn't be in today, which means I'll have double the work tomorrow but these usually last about 24 hours and so I should be okay by tomorrow." She crawled into bed and Logan kneeled down by her side of the bed and stroked the hair out of her face. "I'm sorry you came all this way Logan, you should go home, or back to the office, I don't even know what time it is if I'm being honest." She yawned, and he kissed her forehead.

"Listen, you said you had a ton of work to do, why don't I help you? It's just proofing and lay out, right? I've got it. You rest." He heard her mumble something regarding an agreement as her eyes drifted shut so he shook his head and made his way into her office, not wanting to turn on a light, he used his cell phone's flashlight until he reached her office. He sat down and opened her laptop before muttering out a 'damn' as he saw the prompt for the password. He made his way back to a sleeping Rory and barely woke her up.

"Ror? I'm sorry babe, I went to go log- in to your computer and I don't know the password."

"InOmnia, upper case 'I' and 'O'. Now shh." Rory scolded him as she went back to sleep.

As he sat down at the computer for the second time in five minutes he typed in the password and sure enough it worked, he was surprised when he heard what her password was, but he was even more surprised to see her background on her laptop. It was a picture of the two of them that she had taken care of when she was laying on his chest and he was sleeping. He didn't know why he was surprised, while the lock screen on his phone was a generic picture, his main screen was a picture of her that he had taken on the first night they had hung out with his friends, he was watching her have a lively conversation with Finn after he finally remembered who she was, and she was smiling so brightly. Within a few minutes of taking the picture he had made it background and he was glad he had, even if he had never told her what he had done, especially now looking at this one of the two of them. He quickly refocused on what he had come to this room to do, so he could go back to Rory's room soon.

After working in her office until 8 at night on her work and his, he was just shutting down his own laptop, glad that he had brought his briefcase in when he came upstairs. He heard her shuffling down the hallway and she peered into the office.

"Hey Ace, I'm sorry, did I wake you up?"

"No, I wasn't sure you were still here, and I saw the office light on and I know I didn't leave it on, so I just thought I'd come check."

"It's okay that I'm still here, right? I was just coming to check on you, see if you were wanting to eat and if so, can I get you anything, how are you feeling?" As he asked his questions she couldn't help but smile at him as she came and sat down on his lap, bringing the comforter she had wrapped around herself with her.

"Of course, it's okay that you're still here. Dinner sounds great, I'm feeling a lot better, I told you, usually after about 24 hours I'm doing well. Tomorrow is going to be crazy, but it could be worse I suppose."

"Tomorrow won't be bad, I got most everything done, you have some great writers under you."

"How did you get things done? Can you do that from your laptop through like a server thing?"

"Wow, you know nothing about technology, and no, you gave me permission to use your laptop, do you not remember?" He watched as her eyes went wide and he knew the next statement would really get her. "You even gave me the password." He smirked when he watched her whole face lift in a shocked face for a moment. "I love the picture babe."

She had a million things she could have said, a part of her wanted to play sheepish, wanted to give into the self-conscious thoughts she was having and see if she had taken it to far. But the truth was, she loved that picture of the two of them, she had felt so content that night, laying in his arms while he slept, the moon coming in through her windows, it had felt so right, and every time she looked at that picture she felt that contentment come back, so, she decided on the honest route. "You know, I love that picture too."

"I think I've only seen one better." He leaned over the desk and grabbed his phone.

"That picture has shirtless you, I don't think it gets better." She said as she watched him unlock the phone she couldn't help but smile even brighter once she saw what he had to show her. "Did you crop Finn out?" She asked with a laugh. After the horrific day she had it felt good to snuggle up against him and laugh.

"Listen, he may be my best mate, but I wanted my best girl and only my best girl in that picture." She couldn't stop herself, she let the single tear fall as she took his face in her hands and kissed him before she pulled away in shock.

"Oh my god! You're freezing!"

"I don't know if you've noticed but it turns into an ice box in here, hence the blanket I trekked to find in the dark." He laughed as he said it, not noticing Rory look at him with adoration in her eyes, he had dealt with the cold and the dark, so he could stay here and make her work load that much lighter while she was sick. It was then that she made a decision, she gave him once last kiss and threw the comforter over him while telling him to wait for minute and she'd be right back.

He clamored to get the comforter off of his head as he watched her disappear through the office door and just a few more minutes he heard her turn of the air conditioning and make her way back onto his lap as she held a small box in her hands.

"I don't know if we're at this stage, or what stage were at, I mean technically you might be seeing other people, but—"

He interrupted her, he was planning on letting her get through her speech before saying anything, but he had to put a stop once he heard her say that. "Woah, Rory, I am not seeing anyone else. The only reason I hadn't said anything was because we were both happy and I didn't want to rock the boat to much, but I'm not seeing anyone else. Haven't been since before we started this. I'm not interested in anyone else. I haven't been since I saw you that first night." He felt her relax on his lap before she started back up.

"Logan, I haven't either. I've been so happy with you, content with you, and like I said, I don't know if we are at this position and I've only ever done this once so maybe this isn't how it's done but here, I've had it made up for a few weeks, but it doesn't have to mean anything." She shoved the box into his hands and he slowly opened it revealing a key to her apartment. He chuckled a little and he watched her face drop. "Oh, you don't have to take it, I just thought maybe…" She trailed off not knowing what to say when he set the key down on her desk and reached into his briefcase, pulling out a signature blue box and he passed it to her, she opened it up and saw a Tiffany's keychain with a single key hanging off of it.

"I've had it made for a few weeks too, just wasn't sure how to give it to you either."

"Well, we're just a mess, aren't we?" She said before kissing him.

"So, should we add these to our keys and order dinner?" He asked as he pulled back from the kiss, not knowing how much pain she was in.

"Hmm, I think we can leave them for a little bit longer." She smiled as she grabbed the comforter with one hand and his hand with the other.

"Rory, I don't want to hurt you."

"Logan, I'm fine, please follow me into the bedroom."

RLRLRL

Later that night as they ate dinner he couldn't stop looking over at her and smiling, this was the happiest he had ever been. He had been happy with Cassandra, but there was an undercurrent of restlessness in the relationship but with Rory there was always an air of calmness surrounding them. He could feel his mind quieting when he was around her, like she had a way of recharging him just by being across the table from him. She caught his eye at the last smile and she mirrored it right back to him. They didn't say anything until they were cleaning up dinner.

"I was thinking of going to Hartford and Stars Hollow next weekend, mainly Friday night, we do these Friday night dinners at my grandma's house, I think I told you about them. Anyway, I was going to head down, and I thought maybe, you'd like to go?"

"I'd love to go; do you mind if we see my sister? She's been dying to meet you."

"Of course not! If you'd like, we can do the whole weekend, we can stay at my mom's inn and escape the city for a few days?"

"I think that a weekend away with my girlfriend sounds perfect."


	7. Chapter 7

**AATT 7**

"So, no Rory tonight?" Finn slipped into the booth across from Logan, it was the Thursday before they were supposed to go back to Connecticut.

"No, she's still at the office, we have to head out early tomorrow, so she wanted to catch up on work."

"Oh, the office, do you guys have some secret Jim and Pam thing going on? You know, you catch her eye over the printer and share a secret smile?"

"You are aware we don't work in the same building, let alone floor, and we both have offices meaning we couldn't just make romantic faces at each other all day, aren't you?"

Finn shrugged his shoulders and continued on. "Where are you guys headed anyway? A weekend getaway to the Bahamas? A quick jaunt over the Atlantic for a romantic weekend in Spain?"

"Or a few hours away down to Connecticut, seeing some of her family, seeing Honor, depending on things, meeting the Huntzbergers too, well I guess she has technically met Mitchum before. Her mom has this inn that she wants to stay in."

"Woah, family introductions, it's a big deal there Huntz."

"What's a big deal?" Colin asked, joining the table.

"Logan here is finally manning up and meeting the family." Finn said as he watched Colin slap Logan on the back in congratulations.

"Gilmore's, I assume?"

"You assume correctly." Logan answered, and Colin let out a low whistle in response. "But really, it's not a big deal."

"You're meeting her family, she's meeting Honor and the rest of the Huntzberger gang, and you're staying at her mother's inn for the weekend."

"Sorry man, that actually is a big deal." Logan rolled his eyes at his friends as they ordered food.

RLRLRL

"Hello, Gilmore residence." Rory rolled her eyes at the voice on the line, of course there was a new maid.

"Hello, this is Rory Gilmore, I'd like to speak to Emily Gilmore, please?"

"Yes of course."

Within a few moments she heard her grandma's voice come through line. "Hello, this is Emily."

"Grandma, hi! I just wanted to confirm that it was okay if I brought a guest to dinner tomorrow?"

"Of course, it is Rory, may I ask who is joining you?"

"Just a friend of mine grandma."

"Is it Paris? Last time she was here she made a wonderful maid I had quit." The comment from Emily made Rory roll her eyes and stifle a laugh at the same time.

"No, it's not Paris. I'm sorry grandma, I do have to go, I'll see you tomorrow." And with that she hung up the phone and dropped her chin to her chest.

"Hard evening?" The voice made her jump out of her skin and she looked up to see Logan leaning against the door frame of her office.

"Mountains of work that I just got done, plus a call to my grandma, plus I need to pack and get ready for this weekend. Just a lot on my mind." She felt bad about complaining about the weekend, she had been looking forward to it, and she still was. There was just a lot on her mind and she was feeling overly exhausted.

"Look at the bright side, your work is done, your grandma has room for me at that ostentatious table of hers, you've been packing for a few days as it is, so you really only need the essentials, and the best part, I'll be there!" He smiled down at her as turned her chair around to massage her shoulders.

"You know, normally I'd make a comment about what makes you so sure that you're going to be the best part of the weekend but with hands like those…"

"Who needs candy crush?" He stopped the massage and turned around to wink at her. "Come on, let's get you home and we can get started on packing, I already have a suitcase in my car, so I'll be good to leave when I pick you up tomorrow at lunch, but it sounds like you need to pack."

RLRLRL

Rory and Logan walked into the Dragonfly Inn and Logan took in his surroundings, it was homey and charming with warmer tones that made him feel like he had fallen into a perfect fall scene, even if it was mid-August. There was something so serene about it, he half expected to see kids jumping into leaf piles if he looked out the window. His thoughts were broken by yelling coming from the kitchen and he turned to Rory with an alarmed look on his face before he was almost knocked down by a group of people carrying a woman in a chef's coat through the entry way.

"Mom? Sookie?" Rory asked as the group passed by Rory and Logan.

"Oh, hey sweets. I'm sorry, Sookie thinks she broke her ankle this time, Michel can check you in—"

"No, I can't." Logan heard a French voice coming from the check-in area to their left just in time to see, who he presumed to be Lorelei roll her eyes.

"Okay, fine, you can check yourselves in. We should be a few hours or so, if I'm not back in time Luke and I can meet you at grandma's house." As she heard the other chefs calling for her to join Sookie in the car she turned to Logan. "Oh, I'm so sorry, you must be Logan. Hi, I'm Lorelei, I'll see you guys more tonight and good luck!"

With that she was off, and Logan looked a little dumbfounded for a moment. "So, that's my mom."

"I heard, she seems nice. But, um, is Sookie going to be okay?"

"Oh yeah, she'll be fine. She has good health insurance." Rory dismissed the conversation as she made her way over to the front desk and began the check-in process. Logan took the time to look around, barely checking in to the argument happening between Rory and the man at the front desk. Before he knew it, she was bounding over to him with keys in her hand.

"She made a notation on our reservation that we were to be put in a bungalow due to the noise factor." She said with a laugh as she led him out to the back of the inn and they got settled into bungalow they took advantage of the lack of shared walls.

RLRLRL

Rory and Logan pulled into the Gilmore driveway later on that evening and Rory turned to Logan. "I'm really sorry."

"For what, Ace?"

"I don't know what tonight will be like with them. They're great people, don't get me wrong and I love them so much but they're very particular about who I bring home. I almost didn't invite you because of how they can be."

"Rory, I've met them, remember? I was at that party that they threw, hand picked by them, might I add." He added the last bit with a smug smirk.

"Ah yes, what a lovely way to calm my nerves, bringing that evening back up."

"Sorry, but it's true. And I'm happy you brought me, plus what ever happens here, it can't be anything worse than when you meet my family tomorrow."

"We're meeting all of your family tomorrow?"

"Honor 'let it slip' to Shira. Let it slip my ass, she set it up."

"Wow, we're just getting all the meet and greets out in one fell swoop, aren't we?" He noticed her breath seemed to leave her body, so he grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

"Rory, it's okay, it's good. Now, let's get in there before they think I'm out here doing non- Christian like things to you."

"Oh, don't worry, I'll just tell them that they're about an hour late for that."

As they made their way to the door Logan noticed Rory took one more deep breath as she rang the doorbell, only for a few seconds later have Emily answer. "Rory! Hello dear! And who is this?" She ushered them into the house as they took off their coats and handed them to the maid before making their way into the sitting room where Richard was making drinks.

"Grandma, grandpa, this is Logan Huntzberger." Emily paled at her faux paus.

"Oh, Logan, I'm so sorry it's just been so long and I've seen your parents from time to time, and that lovely sister of yours, but I haven't seen you."

"It's no problem Emily, honestly. I've been out of the country for quite some time and I think my looks have changed a little bit since college all those years ago. Hopefully for the better." He added with a charming smile.

"Well, it's great to see you. What is your drink of choice?" Richard asked from the drink cart.

"Scotch, sir, if you have it." Richard nodded his head and passed a tumbler to Logan while getting Luke and Lorelei's drinks ready, so they would have them upon arrival.

"So, Rory, Logan, what brings you out to this neck of the woods and how do you two know each other?" Emily asked with a gleam in her eyes.

"Well grandma, I was heading home for the weekend and I just asked Logan if he'd like to accompany me. He was actually at the party that we went to a few months ago, we hadn't seen each other since Yale so we decided to catch up that evening and…" They were interrupted by the doorbell causing Emily to let out a frustrated sigh. Logan wasn't positive, but he was sure he heard _'Saved by the bell'_ muttered under Rory's breath and he couldn't help by chuckle. Just then he saw the woman from earlier and a man come into the room.

"Oh, how wonderful of you to join us Lorelei." Emily added with a passive aggressive tone, Logan noticed the pained look that crossed Rory's face along with the annoyed one that passed over Lorelei's and he decided to break the tension.

"Lorelei, I'm sorry I didn't get to properly introduce myself earlier with the emergency. I'm Logan Huntzberger." He extended his hand which Lorelei shook. "And you must be Luke Danes? I've heard a lot about the two of you from Rory over here."

"Only bad things I hope?" Lorelei added with a smile.

"Lorelei really." Emily chided at the same time as Logan joked, "The absolute worst I assure you." With a twinkle in his eyes.

When he sat back down next to Rory she felt him grab onto his hand for a moment and squeeze his hand with a silent thank you after a few more minutes of drinks they made their way into the dining room.

"Rory how is work treating you?" Richard asked as the salad course was cleared.

"It's going well, I've been busy, the higher ups at my company are demanding and needy." She smirked at Logan before continuing the conversation in a serious fashion. "I'm just kidding, work is going well I'm happy there even if it is a lot of work. But it's fun."

"And Logan, I assume you're still with your father's company? Do you oversee the Times?"

"It's one of the many papers I oversee, yes, but I'm at the headquarters a couple blocks up from Rory's building."

"And, are you two just work colleagues?" Emily finally asked the question that no one would. Rory sent Logan a look, she turned to her grandma.

"Actually, we have been seeing each other over the last few weeks."

"Wait, I thought you guys started dating a few months ago?" Lorelei added with a devious smirk of her own, happy that her daughter was at the dinner and able to take some heat off of her and Luke. Rory shot her mother a death glare.

"Rory!" Emily had a scolding tone to her voice. "Why haven't you said anything?"

"Well, she wasn't sure if she was going to give into my charms, so it's much newer than it sounds I promise." Logan stepped in when he saw the frustrated look on Rory's face.

"I think it's cause for a toast!" Richard added in, hoping to ease the tension at the table. "To Rory and Logan!" He raised his glass, as did the others.

"Because it's been so long since she brought a man home!" Lorelei added as everyone took a sip of their drink causing Logan to choke on his and Emily and Rory both turn to her as they shouted. "Lorelei!" and "Mom!" at the same time.

When the door to the Gilmore mansion closed the four that were on their way to Stars Hollow let out a deep sigh before Rory turned to her mom.

"Because it's been so long since she brought a man home. Really?!"

"What? I thought it was a nice addition to an already wonderfully awkward toast. I mean really, who toasts to a new couple."

"You know, you're not as cute as Luke tells you that you are."

"You think I encourage this behavior?" Luke piped in.

"Alright, alright, I'm a terrible person. Are you guys headed back to our house for some movies?"

"No, I'm exhausted, we both had early days in the office and a long drive here and then after the mating ritual that was grandma in there I'd prefer to just head back to the inn and rest up. Plus, tomorrow we have dinner with his family."

"Woah, meeting all of the family this weekend. You sure you're up for that Logan?" Lorelei nudged him.

"It's no big deal, my sister just heard that we were in town and she wanted us to have dinner with them, and then she 'accidentally' slipped it to my mom that I was coming into town."

"Hmm, accidentally, huh?"

"Yeah, like you accidentally mentioned to grandma that Logan and I had been dating for months. Thanks for that too by the way."

Lorelei got an evil smile on her face, "Crazy how accidents happen, huh?" Rory sent her another glare as they made their way to their respective cars. "Breakfast at Luke's tomorrow?"

"Wouldn't miss it. See you tomorrow."


	8. Chapter 8

**AATT 8**

Logan's Porsche pulled up outside of the Huntzberger mansion and Rory noticed the same tension cross his face that had crossed hers the night before. Even with all of the nerves she was battling she knew it was her turn to calm her down like he had last night so she reached her hand out and grasped his causing him to look at her.

"Did I tell you that you look devastatingly handsome tonight?" She spoke in a breathy whisper as she crawled across the armrest and kissed right under his ear.

"Mhm, you know, we don't have to meet the parents tonight. They're not that exciting anyway."

"Come on Logan, it won't be that bad. The New York offices are doing well, you've said it yourself, your dad is off your back lately. You also said that he already knows about me and seems to like my work at the Times, so we don't have to worry about him. Your sister seems awesome, albeit a little nosey, and I can't wait to meet her, and you love her, so one less person to worry about."

"Ah, but you forgot my mother." With that reminder to himself Logan pulled at his collar.

Rory took a deep breath, there was a reason why she had left his mother out of her initial list as well. "Well, good news, usually mothers love me! My mom says it's something about being a surefire way that they'll get pretty grandbabies." She watched Logan's face pale and she couldn't help but laugh. "My reaction exactly. Plus, she knows my grandparents, they seem to like each other. You know the classic 'mother-in-law' trope?" Logan nodded his head as he adjusted his tie, causing Rory to reach over and fix it for him. "Well that was the exact opposite for Jameson's mother and me, in fact every once in a while, we will still grab tea just to catch up."

This threw Logan off slightly. "You still get tea with your ex-mother-in-law?" There was a bit of edge to his voice that she knew wasn't there due to the impending walk up to the mansion.

"Oh, good grief. Yes Logan, I occasionally get tea with a woman who did mean a lot to me and is a wonderful woman." Her pointed glare drove home the point of his ridiculousness, the raised eyebrows only emphasizing her resistance to budge on this particular point.

"You're right." Logan looked over at her. "You're right. I'm sorry. I'm on edge because of this dinner and I wasn't expecting it."

"Listen, we will go in there and be charming and adorable, mainly me, you have some areas you need to work on. And your mom will be fine. I've been through society functions, I've been through awkward dinners and meet the parents before. This will be fine. Now, are we good to go? Because I see a blonde standing by the door tapping her foot and looking none too happy."

Logan directed his attention toward the door and sure enough he saw Honor. "Yeah, we should probably go." He got out of the car and made his way to meet Rory on her side as she stepped out of the car, he grabbed her hand and they made their way to the front of the manor barely making it up the steps before Honor engulfed Rory in a hug.

"Oh my goodness! You must be Rory! Hi, I'm Honor."

Rory choked out a greeting as Logan pried his sister off of his girlfriend. "Let's let her breathe and then maybe she can talk to you, introduce herself properly, you know, like a normal person."

"Right, right, I'm sorry." Honor looked Rory over. "You're so pretty! Logan, you didn't tell me she was so pretty."

"I'm sorry I didn't give you her exact measurements there Honor."

Rory watched the two banter back and forth and couldn't help but smile at them, Logan directed his attention to Rory as he placed his hand on the small of her back. "Shall we head in?"

"To the lion's den!"

"Honor, you're not exactly helping."

"Never claimed I would." Honor shrugged her shoulders as they made their way into the sitting room where Mitchum, Shira and Josh sat.

"Mom, dad, look who I brought in! Oh, Rory this is my husband Josh." Honor introduced him, and Rory shook his hand which he quietly accepted.

She heard Logan whisper in her ear. "Printer paper, I swear."

Suddenly a commanding voice spoke, and all eyes turned to Mitchum. "Good evening son, and Rory Gilmore, so nice to see you outside of an editor's meeting." She smiled at him as he stood to shake their hands.

"It's good to be out of a business suit Mr. Huntzberger." She joked as she shook his hand.

"It's Mitchum, at least outside of the office, I insist. And this is my wife, Shira." Rory watched as the woman's face turned into a perfect society smile and Rory quickly made hers match.

"Mrs. Huntzberger, it's lovely to meet you. Logan has told me so much about all of you." Rory felt Logan come up beside her with a martini extended out to her and Rory couldn't help but feel like letting out a held breath but schooled herself, not wanting her to show any weakness in this house.

"Is that so, Logan? How lovely. And Mitchum says he knows you from work?"

Logan cleared his throat and addressed the question. "Yes, Rory here is the editor for the Features department of the Times." Logan added proudly, causing Rory to send him a smile of thanks.

"How lovely. Now, did you say Gilmore?"

"Yes, my grandparents are Emily and Richard, I believe you've met them?"

"Of course! Lovely couple. Do you have a sister close to your age?" Rory gulped, and she knew where this was question, she could tell Logan did too as he tightened his hold that he had on her knee.

"No, just a brother who is much younger. Why do you ask?"

"I just thought I had received an invitation in the mail for a wedding for Richard and Emily's granddaughter." Shira asked in a fake polite and confused tone, around the room the three other Huntzberger's rolled their eyes as Rory figured out the best way to answer.

"Yes, that would have been my wedding. I've been divorced for a bit now." Logan watched as she took an extra drag of her martini.

"I'm so sorry to hear that."

"There's nothing to be sorry about, he's a great guy and I truly wish him all the happiness, as I'm sure he does for me."

"Shira is dinner ready?" Mitchum was tired of this conversation and he could see the same vein in Logan's forehead start to bulge as he knew he was known for in particularly stressful board meetings. Shira whipped her head around to her husband and for the first time Rory slunk back and took a deep breath now that Shira wasn't looking at her.

"I'm so sorry Ace." She felt Logan whisper into her ear and she turned into him just slightly and gave him a half-smile.

"She's good, I'll give her that." With that she noticed everyone was moving into the dining room and she felt Logan grab her hand to lead her into the dining room as he did Honor was next to them.

"I'm so sorry I told them you were coming into town. I owe you a shopping trip, or my share of tonight's alcohol."

"Honor, we have more liquor here than a distillery, I don't think we need to ration it."

"And the apology is completely unnecessary. I'm sure if I had a son I'd be concerned about them dating a divorcee. It's a mother's prerogative to worry." Honor and Logan laughed at her and she was about to ask why but they were already at the dining room table. Logan held out her chair as she slid in.

"So, Logan, I've heard great things about the New York offices." Mitchum started off the conversation as the salad course was served.

"It's going well."

"How is the pace there compared to London?"

"New York is a bit faster pace, but I think that works better for me. I feel like I'm more productive at the end of the day which is always good. Plus, we have some great papers in New York so I'm constantly around the city which is nice." Logan answered his father honestly. After his success in London he and his dad had become better, it helped that Logan proved his weight in salt while he was over there.

"I know you had issues with working far too much while you were in London, does that bother Rory here if you say it's faster pace? I mean surely she can't just wait around for your attention." Shira piped in, letting the table know they were in for round two.

"Actually, I've been pretty busy myself, so we see each other when it works out and luckily we're both on the same page in our expectations for our relationship."

"There are some days I have to drag her out of her office, I would call it a bunker but it's nothing like what I had seen my last year at Yale with that editor, so I guess it can't truly compare."

"Oh, can we not remember that night." Rory said with a genuine laugh for the first time since arriving in that house.

"Wait, you two knew each other at Yale?" Honor asked.

"Yeah, Ace here was my editor for a bit after her friend was pushed out, we had to save the paper one evening."

"You're Ace?!" Honor shrieked, causing Josh to jump a bit out of his skin.

"Um… I guess?"

"Wow, Logan finally got his Ace. He used to talk about you all the time and then it suddenly just stopped, occasionally I'd hear him talk about you, but I didn't realize it was you."

Rory turned to Logan with a smile that she couldn't help. "Wow, you certainly talked about me a lot, huh?"

"It wasn't that much, I just was intrigued by you." Logan shrugged his shoulders, but she couldn't help but catch the small red tint to his cheeks making her smile even wider.

"I was intrigued by you too. Still am." She winked at him and he couldn't help himself, he kissed her cheek. But he lingered as he whispered. "Good to know." Sending a shiver up Rory's back.

"You know, his last girlfriends couldn't handle the pressure. Logan is a really busy man." Shira spoke up.

"I know, it really was their loss, wasn't it?" Rory smiled politely as she ran her foot up Logan's calf.

As the evening wore on any jabs that had been sent in Rory's direction by Shira were quickly thwarted by Mitchum, Logan, Honor, or Rory herself. It was at the end of the night, and they were having a night cap in the sitting room where the evening had started when Honor, Josh, and Shira excused themselves for the evening, each giving parting hugs and handshakes. It was down to Mitchum, Logan and Rory.

"I want to apologize for my wife's behavior tonight Rory."

"It was truly not a problem. I completely understand, she was being protective over her son, any mother would be." Mitchum laughed as she said it. "Wow, I am killing it with that line tonight, aren't I?"

"Sorry, just Shira and protective don't belong in the same sentence, at least not in regard to our children."

"Listen dad, as easy as it would be to go through all the ways mom is horrible, I think we should head out. We head back to New York tomorrow morning to prepare for the work week ahead."

"And my mother is insisting on a farewell breakfast at my stepfather's diner with her and my brother, again. She insists it's her treat."

"Even though Luke never charges her."

"And he wouldn't make us pay anyway."

Mitchum watched the two of them as they bounced back and forth off of each other. "Of course, it sounds like a busy day is ahead of you guys."

"Thank you for the evening Mitchum, wow that will take some getting used to, your house is astounding."

"Thank you very much Rory. Have a good evening and a safe drive home for the both of you."

They left there and made their way back to the Dragonfly Inn, once in the car Rory checked her messages to see that Sookie had left a dessert in the refrigerator in their bungalow. "Hmm, that will definitely liven the evening up." Rory said as she played the message for Logan to hear.

"Yes, because this evening wasn't lively enough for you?" He smirked at her. "What else were you expecting?"

"Well as fun as the warfare was back there, I was thinking of a different kind of fireworks to end the evening." She winked at him and she could feel the car shift as he ramped the speed of the car up.

That night they laid in bed in tangled sheets. "I'm really sorry about tonight."

"What, why are you sorry? You did nothing wrong, I should be apologizing for my mother's behavior."

"I just didn't want to be rude to your mother. I mean, I know you guys aren't close, but I don't want to disrespect her and you."

"Ace, you were defending yourself. Rightfully, might I add, there was no disrespect to be shown, at least not on your end. My mother on the other hand was in the wrong and for that I am sorry."

"Well, as long as we're okay?" She asked with a timid tone to her voice.

He lifted her head that was laying on his chest and kissed her deeply. "As far as I'm concerned, we're great."

"I think we're pretty great too." It was quiet for a few minutes before Logan spoke up again.

"I will say though, something Finn said got me thinking." Logan watched as Rory got up and sat up straight, using the covers to cover herself. "What are you doing?"

"I'm not sure, I just know that when you said Finn got me thinking I felt a chill go through my body, I feel like I should be packing my knapsack, kissing my loved one's goodbye."

"You know, you're just as dramatic as he is."

"I just feel like many of your bad ideas started with an idea from Finn."

"Okay, so you've got me there. But this one wasn't necessarily his idea. I was thinking, the next time we go away it should be just the two of us. No big family meetings, or friends traveling along. Not that we've done that but trust me they'll be pushing for it. I just thought, maybe a weekend, or even a week away wouldn't be the worst idea? Maybe in October, before the holidays really ramp up?"

Rory was quiet for a few seconds and Logan started to panic wondering if he had overstepped. "October, as in a few months from now?" Okay the questioning look on her face wasn't exactly helping to quell Logan's fears, but he still nodded his head. "Hmm, I've definitely seen enough Connecticut Halloween's to last me a while, so missing one this year wouldn't be a bad idea."

She smiled at him as she moved to climb on top of him and started kissing him. She couldn't believe that after the night at his parent's house, hell after this weekend they were making more plans. But she wasn't going to ignore the feelings bubbling under the surface. Even if she didn't feel right naming them, she was just going to enjoy the next few hours of their weekend getaway and looking forward to the next time they could get away, without all the pressure that this trip held.

Logan wasn't foolish to believe that if they made it through this weekend they could make it through most, but he was smart enough to know that what he felt with Rory was exhilarating, it was fun, it was mind-blowing, and it was right. Watching him with his family was endearing as she seemed to enjoy his sister, impress his father, and hold her own with his mother. She seemed to fit into all aspects of his life, including the most impossible to impress of his friends. She fit in so many ways, the fact that she was beautiful, smart, and could make his heart race and calm his mind at the same time helped too. He knew this was right.

As they laid there a while later, both falling asleep Logan casually spoke, half-way between asleep and awake. "When we get a place, it might be good to remember how nice the no shared walls thing is." He didn't realize the weight his words may have had.

Rory was in the same in between of sleep and awake that Logan was and didn't truly grasp the weight as well. "That's not the worst idea you've ever had." It was the last thing either of them spoke as they drifted off to sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

**AATT 9**

 **Sending out a chapter of this for this morning as I'll probably be unable to update until Monday or Tuesday as I will also have to update 'So This is How it Starts.' Hope it works, just wanted a fluffy, fun chapter for the weekend!**

The sunlight poured into the room causing Rory to burrow herself further into Logan's back, somehow, he had ended up on his stomach and she had ended up using his broad shoulders as a pillow. As she tried to hide from the sunlight she could feel him laugh underneath her.

"It's early, and bright, nothing can be that humorous when it's this early and this bright." She grumbled tiredly.

"You know, after last night and then this morning, I'm wondering if you're related to Finn because you're a lot more like him than I thought."

"Really, you do those things with Finn like you did with me last night? Funny, I didn't picture Finn to be that flexible, to many gangly limbs." With that he flipped over, throwing her to the other side of the bed in the process. "Hey! You were my pillow!"

"I would just like it to be known that I haven't ever done those things with Finn, no matter how many times he has propositioned."

"He has?" Rory asked with a surprised tone to her voice.

"I once saw him hit on a street light. Truly nothing shocks me anymore. Now, enough about Finn, why don't we get dressed, check out of here, go get breakfast and head back ho—to the city." Logan asked as he started to get out of bed.

"Didn't I just explain that you were my pillow?" She glared at him from underneath the curtain that her hair provided. "Come on, just a few more minutes?" He shook his head no as he headed for the shower, grabbing a change of clothes on the way. "Okay, okay, a few more hours." She heard his laughter echo from the bathroom as she threw the comforter over her head.

Logan peaked his head out of the bathroom. "Well, are you joining me or not?"

She threw the blankets off of her head to look at him and she rolled her eyes while mumbling, "I swear to god that stupid smile is going to kill me."

"What was that Ace?" Logan asked as she passed him as she made her way into the bathroom.

"Absolutely nothing darling."

RLRL

They walked into Luke's diner that morning, with Logan's car parked outside and ready to head back to the city after their breakfast. "Good morning you too. I didn't realize we were meeting at Luke's for brunch." Lorelei said with a twinkle in her eye. Rory rolled her eyes and ignored her mother in favor of telling her brother Will good morning. "So, do I have to burn just the sheets or just build a whole new bungalow? Because I'm pretty sure the insurance company won't take 'daughter consummated her relationship all over' as a reason for arson but I'm willing to try."

"Lorelei, our first-grade aged son is right here, please refrain from teaching him what consummated means."

"Luke is right, that seems more of a third-grade aged conversation." Logan said with a smile towards Lorelei.

"Logan! Don't encourage her!" Rory scolded him.

"Do you see what you did? You got him in trouble because you can't keep your comments to yourself." Luke said as he refilled the coffees at the table.

"She can't stay mad at me. It's okay." Logan smiled at Rory who couldn't stop herself from smiling back at him.

Right before they were about to leave Rory was giving her mom a hug goodbye as Logan was talking to Luke, trying to pay for breakfast. "You know kid, I like him. He seems good for you."

Rory stared at Logan and a huge smile broke out. "I like him too."

RLRL

They decided to stop at Logan's that night, Rory wasn't sure if she would stay but she wanted to just get to a couch and crash and Logan's was the first apartment they would hit on their way back into town. It was supposed to be a quick car ride home, but the traffic made it to where they weren't getting back until closer to 6:30 at night, and they were both exhausted. Logan was carrying his bag plus the food they had picked up on their way back as Rory said she would go ahead of him and unlock his door. She put the key in the lock and tried but found that the door gave way easily.

"Um, Logan? I think your door is unlocked." There was a fear creeping into her voice and into her eyes as she moved to the side, so he could go ahead of her. She grabbed his bag and the bag of Italian take-out from his hands.

He pushed open the door and told her to stay behind as he made his way into the apartment. "Hello?" He grabbed the umbrella that was sitting by the door and turned the corner that led into the rest of his apartment where he was greeted by two familiar heads of brunette hair. "Ace! You can come in here."

"Logan?" She crept her way into the living room and stood by Logan, grabbing onto his arm until she saw who was there.

"Love! Logan!" Finn shouted excitedly to both of them.

"People who shouldn't have keys to my house!" Logan answered back just as jovially. "Guys, what are you doing here?"

"Well, you see Colin got kicked out of his house."

"I did not, Steph just nicely asked if I get the hell out because my mouth breathing was annoying her."

"Anyway, Colin was kicked out, and he came over to my house because he was lonely, then we remembered that you had the better liquor stash, so we decided to move our party to your place." Finn answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Rory smiled back at them and then nudged Logan. "I'm going to go put this stuff away." She motioned to the luggage in her hand and the food before she made her way into the kitchen first.

"Colin, look our boy brought us dinner!"

"Well, we always knew he was such a good provider."

"Hmm, actually I believe my man brought me dinner." Rory said cheekily as she passed them to make her way into the bedroom and threw Logan a small wink. "By the way, it now doesn't surprise me that you've been propositioned by Finn anymore."

As she made her way into the bedroom Finn and Colin both looked at Logan. "What guys?"

"Her man?" Colin asked with eyebrows raised.

"Colin, I just spent the weekend with her family, and she with mine, we have keys to each other's places, I don't think she's fully out of place to call me that." Logan answered back.

"Wait, she has a key to your place and we don't?!" Finn jumped in. Rory had come back into the living room and stood by Logan who instinctively put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him.

"If you guys don't have a key, how did you get in here?" Rory questioned, but by the amused grins on all three boy's faces she was now scared of the answer.

"Rory, sweet, sweet, Rory. Or, ace if I may be so bold," Finn started but by the glare he received he amended. "Never mind, not feeling so bold. Did you really think there was going to be anything that would keep us from _your man's_ fully stocked bar?"

"I mean, one would think a locked door would do the trick." Rory shrugged her shoulders as she went to go grab food and plates, bringing them into the living room and setting the food down before sitting on the couch. As she got out her lasagna Finn tried to steal a breadstick as Rory slapped his hand away causing Logan to smirk as he caught the moment between the two.

"Well trust me, nothing was coming in between. Plus, we also had ulterior motives."

"You mean the stealing of my liquor wasn't enough?" Logan asked as he got his food from the bag and sat down in the chair next to the couch that Rory was sitting on.

"We wanted to find out how your weekend getaway was, although judging by the fact that you both came back here together means it couldn't have been that bad I guess, it's a surprise Logan here didn't screw it up."

"Thanks for your vote of confidence there Colin." He then turned to Rory. "Well babe, how do you feel the weekend went?"

Rory held up her hand indicating to wait just a moment before she swallowed her food and answered. "I thought it went well, Honor was amazing and I'm so happy I got to meet her. My grandparents only made 5 thinly veiled comments about our future, and my mom only made me want to lose my mind about 7 times, so all in all a successful weekend."

"I'd have to agree, although I never wanted to lose my mind because of your mother, my mother, yes but, your mom wasn't so bad."

"She asked if she needed to burn the sheets Logan, in a diner full of people, including my brother."

"Blimey she sounds fun." Suddenly all three heads turned to Finn and shouted 'No!' at the same time, causing Finn to sit back and pout.

"Okay, so I can see how that would have been a little embarrassing, but come on, you have to admit, we did enjoy the perks of that room and the lack of shared walls." Logan winked at her causing Finn to catcall. Suddenly Rory was brought back to the conversation from the night before. This wasn't the time to be thinking of that, was he even thinking of that, it had been an offhanded comment as they were both falling asleep, did he even remember? But before she could dive to deep into it she heard Colin speak again.

"See, it's all cute now, until you get kicked out because supposedly you're a mouth breather."

"You are." All three people in the room answered.

"You know, I'm jealous, how come we didn't get to go with you guys this weekend?" Finn asked with a whine.

"I am not even going to dignify that with a response." Logan pointed a breadstick at him, causing Finn to grab it and start eating.

"Fine, but we should go somewhere! The five us, if Steph is talking to Colin by that point." Finn declared with a mouthful of food.

"I told you that he'd want to go somewhere. Aren't you happy I asked first?" Logan asked as he set his hand on Rory's knee, running his thumb over it gently. She took a deep breath and decided to try to see if he remembered their conversation from the night before.

"Not the worst idea you've ever had." She said, her voice staying almost completely steady despite the nervousness she was feeling. If he didn't remember it was just a cheeky answer, if he did remember was she moving to soon, did he even mean it, was it next week he was thinking of this or just down the line?

"Hmm, I seem to be having some pretty good ideas lately, don't I?" Logan answered with a knowing smile. He had remembered the conversation from the moment they got up this morning, but he wasn't sure if he had fully meant it, that's a lie of course he meant it, but did he mean it to come out and so soon? Even more unsure was if she remembered and if she wanted it. He watched the moment of remembrance she had earlier, and she never seemed to recoil from him after her memory came back, in fact even when she was sitting on the couch she turned her body towards him. He hadn't expected her to say anything, but the way she spoke brought a smile to his face, he could hear the small fear creep into her voice, something that helped him realize it wasn't just him feeling the weight of what had happened.

She watched him as he answered and realized that this was definitely a conversation to be had. "Later?" She asked him quietly.

"Later." He nodded his head to her as he grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

"Colin, I feel left out. I'm going to get a drink."

"Right behind you Finn."


	10. Chapter 10

**AATT 10**

If Rory thought that the few weeks between her and Logan's first date, and their second were busy, it was nothing compared to what she was facing now. The editor and half of the political section quit in a blaze of glory and Logan had begged her to help out until they could find a suitable replacement as she had experience in that field of reporting. She had heard about the uprising through the rumor mill but didn't believe it was as bad as it was being reported until a few hours after the rumors started a disheveled and exhausted looking Logan came and sat down on her office couch. When she finally got him to talk to her he explained the situation before finally breaking down and begging for her help.

"I know, I know that you have to much on your plate as it is, and I know what I'm asking, but it will only be for a few days, maybe a week, tops." He pleaded, and she gave him a kiss and told him she would help with anything he needed.

As she sat in her office ten days after the original agreement she looked at her phone again willing it to ring. They had kept missing each other, they had never got a chance to discuss the housing situation as this crisis had happened the Wednesday after they got back. Now it was Friday and they had played phone tag for 10 days straight. It was the first weekend they didn't spend together while both in the same city and she missed him. The worst part is that he was only either a few floors away or a few blocks away. Constantly working on filling the positions that Rory was filling in for, along with a few other poor, unfortunate souls that had experience in the political journalism realm. However, none of those people were also editing and writing for 2 different sections. She was exhausted, mentally, and physically, and the fact that she was missing Logan only hindered her.

The last time she was even close to being this busy they didn't have an established relationship, she didn't have the emotional connection that she now had, she didn't have the frame of reference of all the different smiles and smirks one man's face could show. No, now she was in deeper which made it hurt more.

RLRL

In an office a few blocks away, Logan looked down at his phone screen while his father kept talking, they had narrowed it down to 3 candidates for the editor position and once they got that in place the political section would be back to fully staffed. He looked over his and Rory's text messages.

 _To: Rory_

 _From: Logan_

 _God Ace, how many times can I apologize for this fucking insanity?_

 _To: Logan_

 _From: Rory_

 _It's okay, it's throwing me in the deep end, preparing me for life, I'm sure there's a life lesson in here somewhere._

 _To: Rory_

 _From: Logan_

 _We'll get this figured out, I promise. Dad and I are almost through with the hiring process. Just a few more positions to fill._

 _To: Logan_

 _From: Rory_

 _Maybe we should move that trip up a bit?_

That was the last time he had talked to her, and that was 2 days ago, he kept meaning to text her back but every time he did, it seemed like a new crisis popped up and his attention was diverted yet again.

"LOGAN!" He heard his dad snap and it made him jump and look at Mitchum.

"Sorry, it's just been a whirl wind, I spaced out." Logan knew Mitchum didn't completely buy it, but he let it go.

"Listen, I think Allen is our best bet for the editor position." Logan nodded his head in agreement, at this point he would have hired the guy with the hot dog cart if it meant an end to this week. "So, with that in mind, I think you should take the editor who has been putting so much extra time in out to dinner tonight, on the company as a thank you for her extra man hours she has been putting in."

Logan's head shot up when he realized what his dad was saying and before his dad could say another word Logan was out of his chair and packing up his things. "Thanks dad, and I think Allen is a safe bet too. I'll talk to you on Monday." In the elevator he sent an email to his secretary informing her to hold all calls, emails, snail mail, anything until Monday morning. He made his way to the Times' office and hurried up the stairs, not bothering with waiting for the elevator.

Rory was sitting at her desk, after finally powering her computer off and slumped back in her chair, exhausted, sore, and overworked when she heard her door slam open and she saw Logan for the first time in days standing in her doorway.

He looked just as unkept as he had 10 days ago but she didn't care, she watched him standing there out of breath as he spoke. "We did it, it's fully staffed, this nightmare is over." She couldn't believe it so she did the only thing that her body was telling her to do and without a single word she raced over to him grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket and brought him inside her office and slammed the door shut before she pushed his back to the door and kissed him, before he picked her up, wrapping her legs around his torso as he made their way to Rory's desk. They never spoke a word, never discussing how hell-ish everything had been, they were just thankful they were back with each other.

Later, as they were putting on the clothes that had been thrown across Rory's office they finally spoke. "God, I missed you." Logan said as he came over and kissed her bare shoulder.

"You know, work wise this week was brutal and exhausting but exhilarating and I loved being pushed to the limits, showing that I had what it takes. But honestly, I didn't expect to miss you as much as I did." Rory admitted to him as she finished zipping up her pencil skirt and grabbing her shirt from the couch in the corner.

"I know what you mean, there were so many days I almost just bypassed my place and made my way towards yours."

"It would have been a waste, I slept here most nights anyway."

Logan's face contorted. "I don't think I like the idea of that. You haven't slept much at all?"

"No, I haven't. Maybe, since it seems like all is settled, you and I can spend the weekend holed up at my place?" Rory asked as she gathered up her laptop and chargers.

"I love that idea, but only if you promise me one thing?" Logan asked her as he made his way over to her desk, he couldn't help the smirk that passed over his face as he flashed back to 20 minutes prior to this conversation.

"Sure, anything."

"You will leave your laptop here, you need the break, and your phone gets internet access, so you won't be completely cut off, but no work." He wrapped his arms around from behind her and couldn't help himself from kissing her neck. "I want you all to myself this weekend."

She moaned and quickly set her laptop down, only grabbing her phone and her purse and grabbed his hand as they exited her office. She turned to lock the door and they made their way downstairs, this time using the elevator.

As they entered Rory's apartment they heard a very distinct voice coming from the living room and Rory turned to Logan before they were fully seen. "I should be more surprised, shouldn't I?" She rolled her eyes as she walked into the living room where once again they were greeted with 2 brunettes. "Boys who don't understand what social norms are, may I ask how you got into my apartment? And don't you have places of your own?"

"Yes, but darling, you see, I was bored, and Colin promised me an adventure."

"Finn, that doesn't explain how you got into my girlfriend's apartment."

"We know very powerful locksmith. Well, that and we stole your key, made a copy, and returned your key before you noticed." Colin explained without an ounce of humility or remorse.

"And this just seemed like a normal thing to do for you guys?" Rory asked, she couldn't even pretend to be upset at this point, she was to tired and slap happy that the whole thing was rather amusing at this rate.

"Well, we thought, what if there was a horrible tornado—" Finn started.

"In the middle of New York City?"

"I think it happened on one of those apocalypse movies, now hush mate. What if there was a horrible tornado, or another life-altering moment and Logan here, didn't answer his calls which he tends to do when he's around you, and I can't say I blame the bloke—"

"Does he always switch from Australian to British?" Rory asked, interrupting Finn.

"Quite frankly, he's lived here the majority of his life, how he still has an accent is beyond me, I think it's fake and that's why he gets confused."

"Excuse me!" Finn looked affronted. "Everything about my person is 100% authentic. Now will you two stop interrupting me. As I was saying, we thought it would be crucial in case of an emergency."

"There is not a single emergency on this planet that requires you two to have a key to my girlfriend's apartment. Hand them over and get out." Logan held out his hand and prompted Rory to do the same. Colin and Finn both mumbled something as they took the keys off their key ring.

"You know, that's the second time you've called her your girlfriend in about 10 minutes there Huntz, is someone a little possessive?" Colin asked as he handed over the key to Logan.

"No, it's just I don't believe you two idiots need a key." Just as he said it he watched Finn hand the key over to Rory.

"Love, if you're ever questioning just how authentic I am, just give me a call."

"OUT! The both of you!" Logan barked as he looked over at Rory whose face was pained he thought she was upset but she was really just trying to hold in her laughter. Once they heard the door close he turned to her and immediately started apologizing. "God, I'm so sorry. I don't know how they did that, or why they did that—" He was cut off by her laughing.

"Logan it's fine. They're a mess and intrusive and have yet to understand what a boundary is, and don't get me wrong, I never want to come back here and find them on my sofa, but it's not the end of the world."

"You're really not upset?" He was surprised as she shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm not exactly happy about it, but I'm exhausted, and it was a funny surprise."

"Fine, but when we get our own place they're not allowed to have keys, and we will have 'Do Not Duplicate' on our set, okay?" Rory couldn't help but smile at him as he said it.

"So, our own place?" She asked as she looked up at him, she watched as his face got sheepish, almost like he didn't want to admit what he had just said before he finally just smiled at her.

"It's something I've thought about. Especially after this week, but I don't know, we've only been at this for a few months, and they've been a great few months."

Rory didn't know why but her heart sunk a little bit at his words. "Yeah, I completely understand." She didn't want to admit that she had felt that longing that she never felt with Jameson, the lack of longing that had led to the end of her marriage was what she had felt for Logan the past few weeks and it scared her but exhilarated her. She had started to get excited about the idea of her and Logan eventually moving in, but now she wasn't sure he was on the same page.

"But then I was thinking, my lease ends in 6 months, that will be almost a year of dating, and so I was thinking, we can continue what we're doing, plus I've cleared out half my closet for you and a few drawers for when you stay over so you're not constantly carrying clothes back and forth, and maybe you'd be okay with me keeping some stuff over here? Once my lease is up, we can evaluate where we're at and we can go from there. Does that sound okay? When is your lease up?"

"Well, actually I own the place, I got it in the divorce. And I'd want to get a new place, if we're going to get to the stage of moving in together and starting a life together I want to do it in a new place."

"I really like that idea, I never would have asked for it, but I do appreciate it." Logan answered.

"And as for moving some of your stuff in." She grabbed his hand and led him back to her room where she showed him the space she had made for him, before leading him into the bedroom where she had bought a stash of his normal toiletry items. "I took note of what you like to use and got it for you before all the craziness happened." He wrapped her up in his arms and kissed her.

"So, were on the same page?" She asked as he set her down on the floor.

"We are." He confirmed as he kissed her again.

"Actually Logan, there's one more thing." She sat down on her bed and he followed suit. She looked around the room a few times before she said anything. "Remember how I told you about that business trip I took, and that longing was there for Jameson? I didn't miss him like I should have missed him?" Logan nodded and took her hand in his. "I don't know what this means, but this week, when we couldn't talk much, and we were both so busy I missed you. More than I thought would have been possible. I craved your kiss, and your touch, and the way your smile makes me feel, I just missed you Logan. And I know it might be to soon to say anything, especially words I don't know if I'm ready for, but I wanted to tell you that I did miss you, more than I thought was possible. And I'm glad we're on the same page about moving in together, because I do think it's smart to wait but I do like having a plan in place. And it's okay if we're not on the same page with this, with how much I feel for you, but I felt like you deserved to know. Especially after we worked out the whole living situation issue. I felt like I needed to tell you."

"I missed you too Ace. When I was with Cassandra I thought I missed her, I thought I loved her, and I'm not exactly sure I'm ready to put this into words yet either, but all I know is that this week was brutal. I missed everything about you, in ways I didn't think was possible. So, I'd say we're on the same page there too."

RLRLRL

The next day they decided to get some of Rory's things and bring them over to Logan's apartment, with a stop to pick up her own toiletry kit. When they entered the apartment, they got to work setting up all of the things Rory had brought over, and she felt happy, it helped when every time Logan would catch her eye as they hung up some of her clothes he would give her this infectious, boyish smile that she was positive was her own kryptonite.

A few hours later as they finally finished setting things up and deciding on dinner they heard a knock on his door, thinking it was the food Rory went to open it. "Hey there!" She was looking in her purse trying to find some cash for the tip knowing Logan already put the food on his card. When she lifted her head up she was face to face with a sea of blonde hair.

"I'm sorry, I must have the wrong place." The woman with the British accent turned to leave when they heard Logan's voice coming near them.

"Ace, do you need help with the food?" Logan came up behind Rory and wrapped his arms around her waist, finally looking at the woman standing at the door. "Cassandra? What are you doing here?"

"Your mom called me."


	11. Chapter 11

**AATT 11**

Rory felt Logan's whole body go rigid behind her and she could feel the anger coursing through his body as she looked at the infamous ex-girlfriend. As she stood there awkwardly, and very literally in the middle of these two who weren't speaking she decided to intervene. She didn't want to, god, the last thing she wanted to do was be nice, but she didn't know what else to do. Plus, maybe if she put a spotlight on herself she could find out where Logan's head was at.

"So, Cassandra? Hi! I'm Rory Gilmore." Rory extended her hand and leaned forward, thinking that Logan would eventually let go of her body but instead this seemed to cause him to grip harder. She turned to him and under her breath whispered, "Logan, babe you have to let go."

"No." He spoke with a guarded tone, he looked at her and the glare that had seemed to take residence up on his face softened. "No, I'm letting you go anywhere." Logan was shocked when he walked to the door and saw his ex-girlfriend, but he didn't feel anything other than shock, there was no big swell of music, no sense of melancholy aching in his heart when he saw her, wandering what could have been. Then when she said his mother had called he went from shocked to anger, of course she had something to do with this. But then he felt Rory lean forward and tell him he had to let go, and suddenly he panicked slightly. He didn't want to watch Rory bolt out of the door, he didn't want his mother to win this.

She couldn't help but smile, even though all of her instincts were telling her to be mad, be defensive, anything, she knew that none of this was his doing. Plus, there was no way she was going to run in this scenario, she had too much to fight for, so she decided to kill her with kindness. "Baby, I'm not going anywhere, but it's rude to leave someone out in the hallway." Logan watched her with a puzzled expression when she sent him her version of a wink.

Cassandra stood there and watched the two of them standing in his doorway connected to each other, with Logan refusing to let go and her whole body tightened up in pain. This wasn't what was promised, when Shira called and explained that Logan was seeing someone who was completely unsuitable for him. Shira also explained that she was sure Logan was missing her and didn't enjoy having a woman who worked just as much as he did. Cassandra knew how lonely that life could be and the last thing she wanted was for Logan to be stuck waiting like she had all those nights before. She knew what that kind of loneliness could lead to and she planned to use that to get Logan to see the light. But when this girl invited her in and Logan wouldn't let her go she had a feeling this was a losing battle. But that didn't mean she wasn't going to go down without a fight.

Just as Logan and Rory moved out of the way to let Cassandra through the elevator door chimed and all three looked to see the delivery man standing there with food. "Oh, thank god!" Rory squealed, and Logan smiled and let her go so she could grab the food from the delivery man, she grabbed some money out of her purse, but Logan went to stop her.

"I already tipped when I paid Ace."

"Oh, a little extra never hurt anyone." She waved him off as she gave him the money and got the food and made her way back into the apartment where Cassandra was standing in the foyer and Rory noticed that she was staring at a few suitcases sitting by the door.

"Let me guess, another business trip?" Cassandra directed her question with a look of knowing towards Logan before turning to Rory. "He has to go out of town a lot."

Rory didn't know if she was going to answer with the truth, that those were her bags, she didn't know how much Logan felt comfortable divulging and she didn't want to make this night any harder on him than she was sure it was.

"Actually, these bags are Rory's she moved some of her stuff in here and this was the easiest way to transport it." Logan said as if it was nothing, as if it was an everyday occurrence that he was talking to his ex about his current girlfriend partially moving in. "Can we make our way inside, I don't want the food to get cold." He led them into the kitchen where Rory started taking the food out of the bag once again feeling the awkwardness of the situation.

"So, Cassandra, what brings you to New York?" Rory immediately winced at her own stupidity when she saw Cassandra's originally guarded and nervous demeanor turn into one of confidence and determinedness.

"I believe that's a conversation that Logan and I need to have alone."

"Yeah, that's not going to happen. If you have something to discuss with me, you will discuss it with the both of us."

"Logan, I don't think—" Rory tried to interrupt.

"No, Ace. If she's so sure in what she has to say, then she can say it right here. Because quite frankly, I have no desire to hear what she came here for but if she wants me to hear it then she can say it in front of the both of us." He spoke harshly to her, letting the weight of the evening, actually the weight of the past week and a half fall onto his shoulders. Even though they had spent most of last night in bed they hadn't rested much, and this morning with the transferring of some of her things, it hadn't exactly been the most restful of times. But when he saw Rory's face scrunch up at his tone he couldn't help but feel bad, so he decided to soften his voice and make a joke. "Plus, you know you'd want to listen through the door anyway so this way you don't have to worry about trying to make out the words through the muffles."

She couldn't help but smile at him and forget exactly what situation they were in until she heard someone clear their throat. "Hi, yes, I'm still here." Both Logan and Rory turned to face the woman who had crashed their evening. Logan decided to run over and put his arm around Rory before finally confronting Cassandra again.

"Well, then say what you need to say."

"Hm, add a guitar and take your pants off and you'll fulfill my John Mayer fantasy." Rory said with a smirk to her and she could swear she heard him growl 'Later' in her ear before they both were forced to turn to Cassandra who stared at them with disgust.

"Logan, I really think we should talk by ourselves." The piercing stare she got let her know that he was not kidding when he said that wasn't an option. "I just think, I think that we owe it to ourselves to try again. Logan, I miss you. I made a mistake." He could hear the longing in her voice, but he could also the way it was slightly forced.

"You continued making that same mistake! You never stopped seeing the guy you were seeing, you never put forth the effort!" Logan snapped back.

"You were constantly busy! What else was I supposed to do? I can't be expected to just wait around for you. I love you and you couldn't even stop working long enough but I don't care about all that anymore. I just miss you want you back.

Plus, I've heard she works too. You can't have that Logan, what happens when one of you guys is out of town again or working late at the office. She can't expect you to wait, you can't expect her to wait, plus come on, don't you miss us? Don't you miss me? I know you must hate me, but we can get over that, we can start over, don't you want that?" Now she was pleading.

"Miss you?" Logan said with a humorless guffaw. "I haven't thought about you. I haven't missed you since the night I got reacquainted with her. And I don't hate you." Rory watched as Cassandra's face went from crumpled to an almost beam, clearly, she wasn't the best at reading the tone of Logan's voice because even Rory knew what was coming next. "I don't hate you at all. But I don't care about you, at least not what we had. You are, and forever will be, my past, but that's it. That is all, and even that sometimes I regret. So, to answer your question, no I don't want that, I don't want to start over."

Cassandra stood there slack jawed as she looked over them. Logan still not leaving Rory's side. "You can't handle it you know? His work, his demands, his lifestyle, it will get to be too much."

Rory was shocked, she didn't expect any of this to be directed to her, she had wanted to stand up for Logan but felt it wasn't her place so now that the spotlight was on her she decided to take it. "You don't know what I can and cannot handle. You don't know what him and I can handle together. Don't come into his house and insult him, or us for that matter. You did what you did and if you can't handle the repercussions of that then that is on you. But don't put that blame for the faltering of your relationship at his feet. He may have worked, yes, but he has a job, a high-profile job in which I'm sure you reaped some rewards, so do not act like he is the devil reincarnate and that caused you to do what you did. That is not on him. And you do not get to put those issues on us either. We are not the two of you, I am certainly not you. I certainly would never show up to my ex's house unannounced at the behest of his mother to try to do some fake, half- ass groveling." She said it in what almost sounded like one breath but that wasn't what had struck Logan.

He looked over at her and was in awe, she didn't have to defend him, she didn't have to defend them, and it took everything he had to look over at Cassandra. "She's 100% right, you need to leave. There is absolutely nothing left for you here." When she made no move to leave he finally let go of Rory and walked over to her, Rory watched her face slightly light up and Rory couldn't help but laugh at the true ignorance this woman seemed to possess. "Fine, since you won't leave I will see you out." She reluctantly made her way to the door and turned to Logan.

"You can call me anytime. I miss you Logan, I still love you."

"I won't be calling you." And with that he closed the door, not even making sure she had fully made it out of the doorway. He quickly locked it behind her and without a word quickly walked into the kitchen where Rory was still standing.

She looked right at him with a small bout of worry in her eyes, worried she had overstepped her boundaries. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to overstep, I just couldn't stand her saying those things about you."

He picked her up and kissed her. "Thank you." He barely got out before he was kissing her again, even harder than he had just a few moments ago.

Rory pulled back from the kiss for a moment, grateful that he wasn't mad or upset. "Logan, what about the food?"

"Fuck the food." And with that he carried her to his bedroom. The same bedroom she had brought an extra one of her favorite pillows to today, knowing that she couldn't sleep without it. Attached to this bedroom was the closet that she now had outfits in, ranging anywhere from casual, to work, to perfect date night outfits.

As he laid her out on his bed he had to bite his tongue to stop himself from saying he loved her. He had been hesitant to say it, knowing that those feelings were there but not wanting to scare her off, or scare himself off. The last time he had said it to a woman she ended up cheating, ripping his heart out, and yes, he had gotten over it, but he wasn't sure he could get over it if it was Rory who had done the ripping, so he had refrained from telling her. But tonight, after hearing her defending them, defending him, he knew he loved her.

But he couldn't say it like this, not tonight, he didn't want her to think it was some spur of the moment declaration, brought on by residual feelings of his ex when in all actuality it had nothing to do with Cassandra. It had everything to do with the woman who laid beneath him, the woman who supported him, believed in him and in them. So, he would tell her, he would create a special night to tell her. But even if he couldn't say the words, not because he didn't believe them but because it wasn't the right time, didn't have to mean that he couldn't show her exactly how he felt. He just hoped the message was conveyed.

As Rory watched him escort Cassandra out she couldn't help but feel angry, not at Logan but at the fact that she even had to defend him. How could someone who had no clue what their relationship was come in here and try to degrade it. How could someone who didn't seem to understand the drive and the passion and incredible talent Logan had, try to undermine that. The more she felt the anger coursing through her veins the more she realized that it wasn't just indignancy at the girl's ignorance but pure anger that someone could insult him like that. He was a great man, a man who gave so much of himself to the point of detriment sometimes, this week and a half had proved that. But it also proved to her that it was tackle able for them. They could get through it, they made a damn fine team even if they did go a few days without talking. When she saw him enter the room she couldn't help but apologize, but that kiss told her everything she needed to know.

For all those times where she had wanted to say she loved him, knowing that she felt it, but still not sure how to put it into words, it almost came out tumbling out right there. Luckily, he had other plans, plus she didn't want it to come out like this, not with the tensions still possibly high from earlier this evening, not from the stress they had battled all day. No, today wasn't the day but she couldn't help but feel that with every kiss, every movement, he felt it too.

RLRL

Later on, that evening, they found themselves back in the kitchen. "Logan, we can't possibly eat that food!"

"Why?!"

"Because, between the interruption earlier and then the floor show—"

"Bed show." He corrected her with a smirk, causing her to roll her eyes.

"It sat out to long in the danger zone." She said with an exasperated tone to her voice and Logan couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm sorry the danger zone? Ace, come on, you can't be serious."

"I am! Listen, I will make something, but that food is bad." She grabbed the containers from him and threw them in the trash.

"I will make something, because even if your food is properly heated, it would still technically be in the danger zone and I can't risk getting sick. I have a pretty light load at work next week and I don't want to spend it sick." She glared at him but finally conceded the argument as he started making a quick stir-fry.

"So, you have a light load at work next week?" She asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah, actually it's mainly overseeing the new hires in your office. So, I might pop up every so often next week, if you don't mind." He answered her, and she couldn't help but smile at him as he kicked her a late-night meal in nothing but sweatpants showing off the V of his hip bones.

"No, I definitely don't mind at all." She said it with a slightly distracted tone and he looked back to see her checking him out.

"Like what you see there babe?" He couldn't help but tease her and he really couldn't back the laugh that escaped when she tried to wink at him.

"What are you laughing at?"

"You know you can't wink, right?" He asked her with a playful grin.

"What?! You've said I can wink before."

"Well, yeah because I didn't want to insult you, but really babe, you can't."

"How can I not blink? I've done it before and every time I do I can feel my eyes closing."

"Exactly, your eyes. You blink, you don't wink." Logan looked over at her as she pouted. "Aw, come on, I think it's very cute on you."

"I can't believe no one has ever told me that I can't wink. I thought I was being all sexy and flirtatious. But instead I just look like a moron who can't even flirt properly."

"Oh no, you can flirt, trust me. I've had plenty of cold showers because of how well you can flirt, and I love that you can't wink. It just adds to your charm." Logan held in a laugh as her pout turned into a glare before deciding to change the subject. "So, like I said, I'll be around you a lot next week. But I was thinking, remember how you had asked about moving the trip up?"

"Yes, but now I'm rethinking that idea." She crossed her arms over her chest, so he went over and uncrossed them for her.

"I was thinking, two weeks after next, let's get away." He spoke softly as he kissed her just as softly. "Come on, we could use the break."

"Will you mock me while were away?" She asked with a pout now back on her lips.

"I'd like to say no, but I'd be lying. Ace, I find you incredibly beautiful, sexy, flirtatious, adorable, and a million other adjectives, just let me enjoy your quirks too. Especially in a villa right outside of Tuscany."

"What?" She asked with a surprised tone to her voice.

"Where did you think we were going to go?"

"I don't know, I figured a small bed and breakfast in like New Hampshire or something, I didn't expect Italy."

"Well, I want to make it a relaxing, and special trip." He kissed her one more time slowly before he went back to finishing the stir-fry. "So, what do you say? Can I enjoy your quirks in Italy?"

"Hmm, I guess, if you insist." She couldn't help but smile when he caught her eye and she saw the playful gleam in his eye.

RLRL

When Logan woke up the next morning he saw Rory curled up in his bed and as much as he wanted to hold her close and go back to sleep he had one more matter he had to deal with, so he slipped out of bed and into his office, quietly closing the door behind him.

He grabbed his phone and after dialing a familiar number and hearing the ringing for a few rings he heard the line pick up.

"Hello, Logan? This is unexpected, and so early on a Sunday."

"Cut the shit mom. The stunt you pulled, flying Cassandra out here, it won't work. Do you hear me? You attempting to come in between Rory and I, you attempting to undermine her in anyway, will not be tolerated. This is your last warning." And with that he hung up and went back into his bedroom, curling up behind Rory and falling right back to sleep.

RLRL

"So, let me see the ring." Finn asked as he dug into the appetizers that were sitting on the table.

"What ring?"

"The ring for Rory, are you this dense?"

"There's no ring for Rory."

"But aren't you taking her to Italy in two weeks?" Colin asked, finally joining into the conversation.

"Yes, but there's no ring. It's just a trip, we haven't said I love you yet or anything, why would you think there was a ring?"

"Ah, so that's what this trip is about? Finally saying it, it's about time." Colin raised his glass in a mock toast. "To Logan, for finally saying it."

Finn jumped in, "To Rory, for waiting."

"Guys, you are aware that we haven't been dating that long, right?"

"Six months is a good amount of time, plus isn't it a case of quality of quantity?" Colin asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Can we go back to discussing anything but my love life. Colin has Stephanie let you back in yet?"

"The crater sized hole in my guest bad is saying no." Finn answered Logan's question while managing to avoid the napkin thrown at his head.

RLRL

"So, Italy, huh?" Lorelei asked Rory over the phone that evening.

"Yeah, in about two weeks. I'm no where near prepared, but at least work was only mildly crazy compared to the complete pandemonium it was last week." Rory answered distractedly as she flipped through the channels.

"So, do we want to guess how big it is?"

"Mom, I'm exhausted I'm not playing some sort of dirty guessing game with you today."

"I'm proud that you would think that, but no I meant the ring."

"What ring?" Rory asked, her mother's statement effectively stopping the channel surfing and making Rory pay close attention to the conversation now.

"What ring, she asks. The ring your fancy-pants boyfriend is going to give you."

"It's not that kind of trip mom, not even close. We aren't living together—"

"But you've talked about it." Lorelei pointed out.

"Yes, but we've talked about it down the line, not now. It's just not that kind of trip, we haven't even said I love you yet. Plus-"

"Ah, so that's the reason for the romantic getaway." Lorelei interrupted again, causing Rory to roll her eyes, even if her mom couldn't see her reaction.

"Plus," Rory stressed, letting her mom know she wasn't done. "Knowing the Huntzberger's it's going to be a family ring, when and if we ever get to that point." Rory gulped the lump that was in her throat. She didn't want it to be an 'if' they got to that point. She wanted it to be a 'when' but it was true, her and Logan hadn't even said I love you yet. Her mom's talking in the background was being drowned out by the thoughts rushing through her head, when she heard the door open.

"Mom, I have to go, Logan just walked in."

"Hey, how come he has a key and you still won't let me have one?!"

"You do not need me to answer that question for you." Rory said and without another word she hung up the phone just in time for Logan to make his way over to the couch she was sitting on.

"Anything good on tonight?" He asked her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"Nah, I did have to spend 20 minutes listening to my mom figure out how many different ways she could use my brother to sneak her more Danish from Luke's."

"Isn't she married to the proprietor? Shouldn't that automatically entitle her to unlimited Danish?"

"She's tried that excuse on Luke numerous times, he says that he loves her and wants her to live a long life and by giving her an unlimited amount of sweets he would be shortening her life span."

"That is pretty sound reasoning, it's why I try to make sure we have at least one healthy component during our meals." Logan said it so off-handedly that Rory wasn't sure he was saying what she thought he was. She thought ignoring it, but she couldn't. She couldn't wait until they were staring at some Tuscan sunset like some Diane Lane movie, she couldn't stop the words coming out of her mouth.

"Logan, I love you." She averted her gaze, not wanting to put him on the spot but she couldn't help but sneak a glance at him where she saw a smile break out across his face.

"I had this whole elaborate night planned out in Italy. It was going to be beautiful, and romantic, and I even had this insanely beautiful dress picked out for you as a gift. At the end of it I was going to tell you that I love you. That what I feel for you doesn't match anything I've felt before. That I'm so damn thankful you are in my life. But I look at you now, in sweats, and your hair up, and we're sitting in the living room on a random Thursday and it feels so natural and relaxing, and real to say it now. I love you too Rory Gilmore. I've known for a while, but I kept trying to make this perfect moment happen—"

"And it sounds like I ruined it." Rory felt bad after she heard the whole plan he had laid out for them, this incredibly romantic man sat across from her and she had ruined his moment.

"Not even a little bit, you just found a more perfect one."


	12. Chapter 12

**AATT 12**

 **AN: Guys, the feedback on this is unbelievable, thank you all so much. I am really loving this story and I'm having so much fun with it. I want to let you know, I don't like Rogan angst in my stories. So, sometimes it may seem more calm but it's because I base a lot of the small moments on my own marriage which is very much the smaller moments and the lived in moments and I also just can't write them apart. Lol. As for the blink/ wink thing it's something that my husband mocks me for constantly.**

It was the Wednesday, mid-afternoon, before they were going to jet off to Italy on Saturday, Logan was back at the Huntzberger mansion for a meeting with his father when his phone buzzed. _It really sucks that we can't see each other tonight. I'm so deep into packing I'm not sure which way is up. Any chance you can't just teleport back to the city tonight?_

He couldn't help but smile at her message as he responded. _I will try my damndest, if only to save you from the packing monster._ He put the phone back into his pocket when he walked into the office where his father was.

"Good afternoon, Logan!" Mitchum's voice boomed through the imposing room that for so long was the scene of many confrontations but now was the scene of budget talks, acquisition decisions, and talks of mergers. Logan couldn't help but slightly chuckle at the irony of fighting against something that he now loved so much. "I assume you're here about the ring?"

If there was ever a sentence to make Logan come out of his thoughts quickly it was that one. "Oh my god, not you too."

"Oh, I just assumed that your Italy trip was the reason for the meeting. And Honor seemed to think you and Rory were getting to that point."

"It is about the trip, I wanted to make sure everything was good to go. I have Charles covering my spot, but I wanted to make sure that everything else was covered. As for the ring aspect, don't take Honor's word for anything. She likes to pretend she's informed but she is far from it."

"As for the work aspect, yes everything is taken care of on your end, everything looks great. Charles is a good choice. But, you sure Honor was wrong about the ring?" Mitchum asked with a knowing smirk, matching that of his son's, earning a glare from the youngest Huntzberger. "Alright, fine I can take a hint. I just needed to know if I had to go to the vault."

"Listen, when Rory and I get to that point I will probably give her that ring for society events and appearances sake, but that ring isn't Rory, I'll get her an actual ring that matches her personality before I give her that one." Mitchum raised his eyebrows. "What, dad?"

" _When_ you guys get to that point?" Mitchum couldn't help the joking tone that crept its way into his voice.

"Oh, forget it." Logan sighed exasperatedly as he stood to get up before turning to his dad before he left the office. "Give me three months, okay?" And with that Logan was out, not paying attention to the all-knowing smile that Mitchum had on his face.

RLRL

There was a knock-on Rory's office door at a little past 3 that afternoon, breaking Rory of her thought process. "Come in!" The door opened to reveal her ex-husband standing in the doorway with a huge smile on his face. "Oh my gosh, Jameson! How are you? Come in, come in." She ushered him in with her hand as she stood to give him a hug. He motioned at the door as if to ask if he should close it. "No, it's a room of reporters, no use giving them an inch when they'll take a football field."

"It's good to see you Rory." He smiled at her as she sat down at her desk, and he took the chair across from her.

"It's good to see you too. How is work? And Layla?" She had seen a spread about Jameson's new girlfriend in some business section a few months back.

"Work is exhausting, but good. Layla is great, she tolerates me at least so she may not be the sanest person, but she is really nice."

"That's wonderful! And you're not so hard to tolerate." She smiled back at him.

"Well, what about you, how are you and Logan?"

"We're great, actually you have impeccable timing as I'm taking a few weeks off starting Saturday, we're going to Italy." She almost sounded embarrassed, but she couldn't help but gush slightly.

"Wow, Rory Gilmore taking some time off of work, did I miss hell freezing over? I did feel a distinct chill in the air now that I think about it." He smiled at her, a genuine, friendly smile.

"It's October 1st in New York, of course you felt a chill in the air." She playfully rolled her eyes at him. "So, what brings you to my neck of the woods?"

"I had a meeting with someone I'm representing downstairs, normally I'd have them come to me, but they asked me to meet them here and I figured it was a great chance to come say hi to you too."

"Well, I'm glad you did. I actually have something I wanted to talk to you about."

"Last time you said that to me, you asked for a divorce, do you the bird flu this time?"

"Just got over it last week actually. Bugger of a disease really. No, but honestly, Logan and I are thinking of moving in together in a few months, and I know I got the apartment in the divorce, but I figured I'd ask you if you wanted it. I was going to email you when the time got closer to me putting it on the market but since you're here I figured I'd just ask now. And of course, I'd give it to you for a steal, which in New York means at least 5 million." She felt slightly scared to ask him it's why she added the small joke at the end, she didn't want him to be upset with her but when she looked up he was just smiling.

"Wow, moving in together already?" There was no hurt to his voice, no malice, just pure happiness for her. "Why not just move into the apartment? You love it there."

"It's been discussed, plans have been made, we both feel comfortable possibly starting fresh, plus he's on a lease so it just made sense for both of us to move into somewhere new."

"That makes sense." He nodded his head. "Well, I loved that apartment, so I'd definitely like to be considered, just let me know when you decide to put it on the market. But, I do have one condition." She looked up at him with a questioning look on her face. "I refuse to pay under market value."

She went to refute his point but as she did her cell phone rang as she looked down at the caller ID she smiled and held up her hand to signal it would just be a minute. "Hey you! What are you up to?"

"Well, I'm trying to make it back into the city to see my girl. I just wanted to see what time you would be over?"

"You'll be back tonight?!" She was so giddy when she spoke, and Jameson couldn't help but smile at her.

"I will Ace."

"I should be there by 6:30, if that's okay?"

"Of course, so, what is your day like today?"

"Oh, well Jameson is here. He had a meeting downstairs and wanted to stop in and say hi." Rory hadn't thought about how Logan would react, she didn't expect him to be upset but it still didn't stop her from worrying. "I hope that's okay?"

"Is he pulling a Cassandra?" Logan asked, with a small laugh to his voice but a seriousness that was hidden just underneath the surface.

"Nope, in fact we were just wrapping up our conversation." She sent Jameson an apologetic smile as she answered Logan.

"Of course, it's okay Ace. As long as I get to see you tonight." She could hear the seriousness; the defensiveness was gone and now he was just her Logan again.

"Of course, babe." She had wanted to talk to Logan about the idea of selling her apartment back to Jameson when the time came anyway and now this gave her an opening when she saw him later.

"Well I will see you in a few hours. 6:30, I'm holding you to it. If you're not in my apartment at 6:30 with your laptop powered down and a glass of wine in your hand, I'm marching down to your office and dragging that cute butt out of that office."

"I promise, I will. Goodbye Logan." She hung up the phone and turned to Jameson with a small blush to her cheeks. "I'm really sorry about that."

He shook his head at her. "Don't apologize for anything. Happy looks good on you Rory." He stood up and she did too, so she could give him another hug to say goodbye, but when she pulled back she slightly slapped his arm. "Hey! What was that for?"

"You never told me I couldn't wink!"

"He actually told you about that? Wow, brave man. I'll give him that." Jameson chuckled as he walked to the door frame. "Goodbye Rory, and I expect to hear when I can buy back that place."

"Goodbye Jameson."

RLRLRL

"I'm here! I'm here! I'm not late!" Logan heard Rory race into the kitchen and he looked at the clock.

"Tsk, tsk, Miss Gilmore. 6:38, what am I going to do with you?" He gave her a small kiss as she came up behind him and grabbed the glass of wine he had poured for her.

"Hmm, punish me later?" She said with a twinkle in her eye as she raised her eyebrows at him.

"Oh, that was already part of the plan." His voice was husky as he whispered in her ear causing goosebumps to cover her skin.

"Okay, we have to stop this conversation before we forgo the food and burn it…. Again." She added with a smirk as she sat on the island countertop. "So, I want to talk to you about Jameson and I talked about today."

If there was ever a sentence to kill the mood, Logan couldn't help but think, this would be it. "Oh yeah? What about it?"

"Well, I was going to email about it when we got closer to the actual time, but since he showed up I figured I'd ask him today. I let him know we were thinking of moving in together, I mean you know, within the next 6 months, obviously." She added that last bit kind of nervously. "Anyway, I wanted him to know because I wanted to ask him if he wanted to buy the apartment, I mean he always loved it too, so I figured I'd give him right of first refusal."

Logan couldn't help but smile, glad his back was turned towards her. She had been confident enough in them to let her ex-husband know that they were moving in together. He realized he hadn't said anything in response to her news, so he turned around. "I think that's a good idea, what were his thoughts on it?"

She tried to see if he was hiding something in his tone, but he seemed happy and genuinely curious. "He was on board, as long as he could pay full price." She rolled her eyes again at his request. "But he said whenever I'm—we're ready to flip the switch to just email him and we'll get the contracts started."

"I'd do the same thing in his position. Your apartment is great."

"Listen, I just want you to know, I was going to tell you he stopped by, even if you hadn't called when he was there. And we kept my office door open the whole time. I mean, I just don't want you to think I was hiding anything from you." She rushed out and he set the spatula down and came over to hug her.

"I know you weren't ace. I'm thankful for the honesty though." And he was, he was thankful she was honest, thankful that she had respected them enough to keep the door open and not let the gossip mongers start anything. Overall, he was just thankful for her.

RLRL

Friday night 3 people stood inside Rory's apartment and she looked around at her surroundings, before turning to the two others in the room. "I'm not sure if he'll go for it, but if he does, can you guys get all of this out of here?"

"Of course, and don't worry I'm sure he will." She received a reassuring smile and she couldn't help but smile back.

"And if he does, I'll email you since we'll be avoiding making calls and such, we compromised on email only."

"Can we have code words, it makes the whole thing feel more cloak and dagger."

"Fine, the code words can be 'The plan is a go.'" She answered with a sarcastic tone.

"Spoil my fun then."

RLRL

5 days later they were sitting on the patio staring over the vineyard that was connected to the villa that Logan had rented out. "It's so beautiful out here. Are we sure we have to go home?" She asked him wistfully as she took her surroundings in again.

"It is nice out here, isn't it? It's calming." He ran his foot along her leg as he smiled over his glass of wine. The look he was giving her gave her the courage, the 2 glasses of wine she had helped some too, so she decided to start the hints.

"So, are we at my apartment the week we get back, or yours? It almost sounds like we're discussing who gets visitation like a divorced couple." She added the last bit with a nervous chuckle.

"I don't know, want to just stay at mine?" He looked over at her as she nodded, while she bit on her bottom lip. "We should come up with a better system when we get back, I'm tired of having to pick where we stay. It just seems ridiculous at this point, doesn't it?" He had been thinking about how crazy it was how much time they split in between the two apartments. Especially after she had found a buyer for her apartment, it seemed silly to still have it, but he didn't want to push her to much. He watched her as her face lit up momentarily before she calmed down again.

"Yeah, a better system would be nice." She answered so nonchalantly he thought he may have misread her face earlier. "Have we decided what we're doing tomorrow?"

"We're actually touring this vineyard, learning how to make wine, stomp on grapes, that sort of thing. Just a cliché day in Italy."

"Just have a cliché day in Italy?" She retorted back. "Not many people just have a cliché day in Italy like it's nothing." She added with a smile. "You live a magical life Huntzberger, and you don't even know it."

"It's your life too Gilmore." He added without thinking and he watched her head snap back up to meet his eyes. He was scared she was going to bolt, although where she would bolt to he had no idea, there was a reason he had done all the driving since they arrived. But instead he saw the shock give way to a genuine, slow smile.

"That it is." She stood from her chair and sat on his lap, kissing him softly and slowly. "I'm going to go inside for a minute, if that's okay?"

"Of course." He watched her disappear into the house and grab her phone where Rory sent an email. "The plan is a go." Is all it said.


	13. Chapter 13

**AATT 13**

 **A/N: I don't do these a lot but here I am doing another one. Guys, I have cried at some of these reviews. Thank you. Also, DecemberJefferies1 good guess.**

Rory and Logan were laying in bed after their cliché day in Italy while they both caught up on emails. Logan groaned as he read over an email Charles had sent about a crisis back at the offices. She looked up at him when he groaned and could see the look on his face as his brow furrowed. "Go." She said, and his eyes shot up to look at her.

"No, it's fine. They can handle it."

"That is probably true, but I know you, and not only do you want to solve this, you're the best at it. Go, be superman, save the newspaper world, and when you get back I'll play Lois Lane." She smiled at him.

"How am I supposed to get anything done with that vision in my head now?" He smirked at her while she kicked him out of their bed. As if on cue his phone started ringing and he shot her an apologetic smile. "It will be 5 minutes tops." He told her as he got out of bed, answering the phone and taking his laptop into the office.

She knew him, it would be at least an hour, so she opened up her Hulu account and decided to relax waiting for him to come back. Admittedly she had only needed to answer a few work emails, the rest she could have ignored but she didn't want him to feel bad about having to work so much so she had kept her computer open for a while, sending some personal emails and in general just browsing the internet. As she was watching one of the new fall shows that had premiered just a few weeks before they had taken off she fell asleep.

Logan walked in two and a half hours later, exhausted, over-worked, and now very unrelaxed after that phone call. He knew she'd be asleep, for one she hadn't come to check on him, something the both of them did if the other had been working for to long, and secondly, he hadn't heard the coffee pot start or her pillaging the cabinets in search of food. It still didn't stop him from smiling whole heartedly at her curled up in the bed, with her head phones in and her computer asleep. He gently ran his hand along her cheek and through her hair, taking out her ear buds, trying to coax her awake. "Ror." She stirred after a few minutes and looked up at him.

"Hey, you, I'm so sorry I fell asleep." She yawned, but due to her over tired state she squeaked at the end of the yawn, something he had loved about her from the first time she had ever done it when they were together. She didn't do it often but if she was ever more exhausted than usual her yawn became mouse-like.

"Don't apologize, I'm the one that dealt with a work crisis on our vacation."

"Hey, it's not your fault I'm in love with a big hotshot who is indispensable. It's kind of a turn on." She smiled demurely at him and he couldn't help but marvel at the way she could smile like that while talking about being turned on.

"Well, I am very powerful, and I did end up saving the day. It's a shame I didn't have a red cape." He said as he moved her laptop off the bed and moved on top of her.

"Don't worry, I've already order one off Amazon to be delivered to your apartment by the time we're back. Plus, Lois Lane glasses." She answered him as she kissed her away down his jaw line.

"Your ability to always be prepared is one of the things I love most about you." He growled as he grabbed her face in his hands and kissed her deeply. The only thing cutting them off was the ringing of his cell phone, causing him to growl for a very different reason. As he looked over at the number that was displayed he knew he'd have to take it, he climbed off of her and reached for his phone but before he answered it he spoke. "Maybe for our honeymoon we should just leave the cell phones at home." And with that he was out the door and back on the phone.

Rory sat there staring at the empty door frame, she could barely hear his phone call over the constant repeating of what he had said rushing around in her head. I mean, she knew that was where they were headed. At least, all common sense showed her that was the plan, they way they talked, the openness that they shared, the plans. She just hadn't expected him to voice that. The definitive way he stated 'Our honeymoon.' As if there was no question on if it would happen but when. She remembered the conversation she had with her mom before they left, she remembered being so nervous that they wouldn't get to that point, and here he was, on the same page. Not only on the same page, but being very open, practically reading the page aloud to her.

He was going through the motions, answering Charles' questions and providing feedback and solutions, but that didn't mean he was completely tuned in. He kept thinking about what he had said earlier. He didn't see her reaction, which he was now very thankful for, because he would be overanalyzing that along with what he said. He had been close, to proposing to Cassandra and he didn't speak that candidly to her. They had talked about marriage, they had discussed some details, or some likes and dislikes, but there was no off the cuff about how their lives would look after. But when he spoke to Rory it was like his mouth had a life of its own. He didn't ever a chance to stop himself from discussing their future because it just felt like it was common knowledge that they had a future. They had the future.

The more he thought about it, the more he hated that when they got back they would still have that divide of the different buildings, even if they didn't spend the night apart hardly ever. It still felt strange. He knew it hadn't been that long dating, but like Colin had pointed out, it was quality over quantity with Rory. He remembered back in Yale when he had thought about dating her, he knew that it would have been something right away with her, in college that meant a committed relationship, in your thirties that meant 'I love you', 'move in with me', 'marry me', 'have kids with me', at least it did with Rory. He finished up the phone call just in time to hear her go into the kitchen and start the coffee.

As he walked up behind her, he was quiet, knowing he had probably already spooked her with his declaration earlier. He watched her as she stood, watching the coffee pot and he came up behind her, rubbing his hands up and down her arms when he noticed the goosebumps. He took a breath and spun her around to look at him as he watched her take a giant gulp when she looked into his eyes. "Did I scare you?"

"No, I heard you get off the phone." He watched as she tried to figure out what he meant.

"Rory." He stared at her. "I meant earlier."

She took a shaky breath before she looked up at him. "Did you…" Another shaky breath. Rory didn't know if she wanted to ask this question, not sure she wanted the answers herself if she was being honest. She had figured out what she wanted, and if that differed from him she had to undo a few plans she had set in motion. "Did you mean it?" Her voice was even, but there were still small traces of fear.

Logan looked at her, here was his out, god he had an out sitting right in front of him, not an out of the relationship but an out of the seriousness, but they had been so honest with each other before. "You know, before we left Colin, Finn, Honor, hell my dad, all asked me to see the ring, or if I needed it." He watched as her eyebrows shot up.

" _THE ring?"_

He nodded his head. "The ring. And I realized, that when I give you that ring it will be for society events, for show only, because it's the Huntzberger ring, but the actual engagement ring, that will be yours, and yours only. And I planned this trip to tell you I love you, so I'm not ready to propose, but it doesn't mean I haven't thought of it." Logan felt them both exhale and relax against each other.

"I've thought about it too." Before he could say anything in response she was bouncing out of his arms. "Coffee is done, and I made us a cheese board."

He looked around the kitchen that sure enough she had taken care of their midnight snack, he grabbed his coffee cup from her as he gave her a small kiss. "Looks perfect babe."

RLRL

They poured themselves into his apartment 6 days later, exhausted due to jet lag and feeling like the wind had been knocked out of both of them. "International travel, not for me."

"Didn't you want to be an international correspondent?" He asked her with a laugh to his voice.

"Hush you, I exercised a lot on that trip." She tried to wink again, and he laughed at her before he pulled her close to him and kissed her. After a few moments he opened his eyes and looked around and she couldn't help but smiling proudly as he finally registered their surroundings.

"Uh, ace? What happened here?" He saw the boxes sitting in the living room, and a pile of papers sitting on the kitchen table.

"Well, those are my boxes, and the stack of papers over there are the contracts for Jameson to buy my apartment." She stopped for a moment to see his reaction, surprise overtook his face but was quickly turning into a smile which encouraged her to go further. "You see, I know we were going to wait until your lease was up, and I didn't mind that idea, I truly didn't. But I was tired of the back and forth, so once it seemed you were on the same page I gave Finn and Colin the all clear sign to move me into here. I had packed before we left, just in case." She beamed up at him, as she finished.

"Is this why I couldn't pick you up from your apartment before we left?" He asked in awe as he looked around again, still taking in what she had done.

"Well, yeah, I couldn't risk you seeing all the boxes packed up and spoiling my surprise." She said it matter-of-factly, but soon her face and voice dropped. "I can move all of it back out if you'd like, I mean I haven't signed the purchase agreement, so if this is to much I can go back."

His head stopped taking in the surroundings and quickly whipped back to her as he registered what she had just suggested. "NO!" She jumped slightly in his arms at his sudden exclamation, he noticed and calmed his voice. "I mean no, no, I'm happy with this. I'm so happy with this. I can't believe you did this. Thank you." He couldn't help but kiss her, when they both came up for air he looked at her again. "So, on Monday, when you get off of work, your coming home to me?"

"Or you're coming home to me."

"God, that sounds so nice." He leaned down and kissed her again before he stopped again, causing her to groan.

"What now?"

He smirked at her inability to be patient. "You promised you packed, and Colin and Finn weren't allowed to pack up your underwear drawer?"

"I hand packed everything, I swear."

 **A/N: It was a shorter chapter, I just hope I did it justice.**


	14. Chapter 14

**AATT 14**

 **A/N: Ever submit a chapter that you're terrified to because you aren't sure the reaction? Yeah? Cool, that's this one for me. And with that ominous warning, happy reading!**

"Dear god, I'm bored."

"Stop whining Finn."

"Ah, so the prodigal son returns, let me guess, traffic?"

"I figured I'd go with Colin's old stand-by and just say a meeting." Logan answered with a smirk as he slid in across from Finn and next to Colin. "You know, of all the times I would beat you guys to the restaurant I at least ordered us food, and a drink. You are all terrible at taking care of other people."

"Hey! Don't blame me! We just got here." Colin joined in.

"You just got here, and Finn is already whining?"

"I'm a man of many talents. So, how is the lovely Rory this evening? Trouble in paradise, is she finally ready to see how authentic I am?"

Logan shot Finn a glare and was about to answer when Colin spoke up again. "They better not be having troubles, I'm not moving her again, her book collection alone is going to run me $1,000's in chiropractic bills." Logan and Finn rolled their eyes.

"I'm sorry, are you destitute? Do we need to chip in, have a charity walk in your name there Tiny Tim?" Logan was met with a glare. "Didn't think so, plus I've picked up our bar tab more times to count and I've thanked you both for helping Rory pull off that surprise with an expensive bottle of scotch. As for Rory, she is good, she is at home, kicked me out to meet you sorry fellas, we're getting ready for Thanksgiving. When are you guys heading to Hartford?"

"Stephanie and I are headed there Wednesday night, we're having a joint family dinner at my parent's house which promises to be less than enjoyable, and then we'll be home by Friday afternoon, so she can 'Black Friday' shop on 5th avenue."

"You guys have more money than god, why is she going Black Friday shopping, plus those stores don't even do deals."

"I've pointed out the same thing, she said it's about the experience. I believe she invited Rory too, or she was going to at least."

"Eh, don't worry about it, we're slammed all. Damn. Weekend. Thursday alone we have a meal at Luke's diner, and then dinner with the elder Gilmores and then dessert at the Huntzbergers. Friday, we have a second thanksgiving at her mom's inn. Then, because we haven't done enough we will spend Saturday morning driving back here before we start looking at new places, because we were hoping to be in a new place by Christmas." Logan's face was blank, and his voice already sounded exhausted.

"Wow sounds like you lot are in for a real treat. I will be going home to my parents where I will indulge in turkey and sides, come home on Friday, indulge in Wild Turkey and left overs and be left in peace for the whole weekend." His words made it seem like it was a good thing, but his voice was slightly dull, showing he really wasn't all that excited for his weekend plans.

Both Colin and Logan stared at Finn and then back at each other before Colin finally sighed. "Finn, would you like to join Steph and I at my parent's house?"

Finn grabbed his hand and kissed it causing Colin to roll his eyes and whip his hand back. "That would be most appreciated kind sir. I shall name my second legitimate child after you."

"Second?"

"Legitimate?"

Colin and Logan both asked at the same time. "Of course, it can't be first legitimate child Colin, they must be named after myself. And I'm sure I have plenty of other wildings running around that just haven't found me yet."

"That is a disturbing thought." Colin observed, causing Logan to raise his glass in salute.

RLRL

"Finn is that you? Did you finally ditch the boys to show me how a real Tuesday night should be?" Rory joked from the living room as she heard Logan come in after his night out.

"You're so funny, however you in sweats is exactly how a Tuesday night should be." He leaned down to kiss her head as he made his way to the master bedroom.

"Oh, Logan, it was you that whole time? I'm so sorry." She added cheekily as she followed him into the room. "So, how was your evening out?"

"Colin got stuck taking Finn to his parents house." Logan said with an evil gleam to his eye. "I would have but we have so much to do and I couldn't subject poor Finn to Stars Hollow."

"I'd take offense, but you're actually right. Not only Stars Hollow, but my grandparents, and your parents. Actually, why are we going at all? Doesn't staying at home sound so much better? We can stay in, order Chinese food, curl up in bed and never leave." With each word she had stepped closer to him until his knees hit the bed before she lightly pushed him back onto the bed and straddled him.

"Ace. What are you doing?"

"It just seems like this is going to be a stressful week, I figured I would blow off some steam before we go out of town. Plus, I really missed you." And with that she kissed him before he could ask any more questions.

RLRLRL

It was Thursday afternoon when they left their bungalow at the Dragonfly and Logan and Rory both were exhausted looking ahead at this weekend. "Why did we schedule the relator for this weekend?"

"Because, you my dear Ace, said that you wanted to be a new place by Christmas. And I, being the wonderful fian—boyfriend that I am, decided to support your idea." They both ignored his almost slip-up and focused on the task of getting to Luke's before they were late. But on the way there Rory couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. Just as they were about to enter the diner Rory stopped him, holding on to his arm for a moment. "What's up babe?"

"I'm going to email the relator, I don't feel right interrupting their weekend and I'm not up for it. Plus, judging by the look of happiness on your face you agree?"

"I do, plus this way we don't have to rush out of here Saturday morning, we can take our time, just relax a little bit. Do you want me to call her?"

"No, it's no problem, I'll just send the email under the table, so Luke doesn't see. Because even if he did let up on the whole 'No Cell Phone' rule, he'll still make a comment about it being Thanksgiving."

"I'm sorry, you're going to hide it under the table, this isn't 10th grade you aren't going to get sent to the principal's office." Logan couldn't help but laugh at her.

"I know, but I know him, and he pretends that this holiday doesn't mean a lot, but it does, especially because everyone will be in town. Actually, now that I think about it." She trailed off as she opened her phone and typed furiously for a moment. "Okay, I'm done, we can go in now."

As he grabbed her hand they walked into the diner bumping into Lorelei and Will at the door. "Happy Thanksgiving to you too Rory, some people bring their hosts flowers, chocolates, you, tiny Chris Rock, just bring pain."

"Tiny Chris Rock?"

"I'm tired, Luke made me get up and help this morning give me more time." Rory shook her head as she focused her attention on Logan and Will, she watched as he played with her little brother, asking him how school was going and making him feel heard. "He's good with him sweets." Rory heard her mom talking behind her in a hushed tone.

"I know, it surprises me every time. Not because I don't think he won't be a good dad but it's just so different from how he is at work, or even at home. At work he's authoritative and intelligent but there's still some charm there. At home he's relaxed and happy, but he also has one eye on his phone just in case, like we both do. But then he gets around kids, like his sister's kids and he just seem like a natural. I don't know. It's just nice to see." Rory shrugged it off, pretending like what she had said didn't have much weight to it, but Lorelei could see that it did.

"So, no plans with your dad?"

"No. He took Gigi to Paris to spend it with Sherry."

"He's spending an American holiday in Paris?"

"I pointed out the same thing." Just then Will noticed her.

"Rory you're home!"

"Wow, been here 5 minutes and you finally notice me buddy!" She reached down to give him a hug and play with his hair before he dragged her back to the kitchen to show her what he had helped make that day for their Thanksgiving lunch.

Logan turned to Lorelei and whispered. "Secret spy voice time."

"Yes! I love spy voice!"

"I wanted to have a big sit down with you, Luke, Chris too, but I don't know when I can do it. I want to marry Rory. I want to have a long engagement, but I want the engagement. I'm sorry I couldn't talk to you guys in a better setting, but I wanted to let you know." Logan rushed out, his eyes only leaving the opening to the kitchen once to see Lorelei's facial expression, what made him do a double take was the tears in her eyes. "Lorelei, I'm sorry I didn't ask in a better way." But it was cut off by her waving her hand at him to stop.

"No, it's not, I'm just so happy. She's happy, and even though you don't have to ask permission, just know you have it. But also, let me know when you do it, especially if it's this weekend." She was going to say more but Rory and Will were walking back into the room. She hurriedly wiped the tears away before she focused on them. "There's my babies! LUKE! Are we ready to eat?"

"No! April isn't here!"

"Yes, I am!" April called from the diner door.

"Well, we're still waiting on Liz and TJ." Just then Jess walked in the door with someone on his arm.

"Jess!" Rory jumped up to hug him. "Oh my gosh, who did you bring?" She turned her attention to the dirty blonde-haired woman standing next to Jess.

"Rory, Lorelei, Will, April, Luke, guy I don't know." He addressed to Logan. "This is Olivia. Olivia, this is everyone, please ignore all of them."

"Did she already meet Liz and TJ?" Luke asked him, causing Jess to nod his head. "Oh, well then we're nothing compared to the two of them. Except Lorelei maybe."

Lorelei yelled from behind the counter while she was trying to sneak a bite of the pie, drawing all eyes on her.

"Get away from the pie!"

"Wow, being his wife really gets her nothing does it?" Logan asked Rory out of the corner of his mouth.

"Oh yeah, I think it's worse actually because now he knows she's going home with him and the hair twirl isn't nearly as effective." Rory added with a chuckle, she turned to Jess. "Jess, I don't know if you have ever met Logan?"

"I literally introduced him as 'Man I don't know.' Doesn't exactly scream life-long friends there Rory." Jess deadpanned to her.

"Anyway, this is Logan, he's my boyfriend. And Olivia, it's so nice to meet you! Logan this is Luke's nephew Jess." The two men shook hands and Olivia gave a small wave, which Rory reciprocated.

"Luke, Liz and TJ said they would be here in about an hour." Jess called to the kitchen where Luke was gathering everything.

He groaned, "Fine we can eat now, can you keep the diner open this evening for them? The rest of us have to go Richard and Emily's house."

"Not unless you poison us all with food poisoning and we're suddenly rendered completely immobile." Lorelei chimed in.

"Oh, great idea! Then we won't have to go to my parent's house either."

"Logan, stop encouraging her, and I'm not purposely poisoning all of you, plus with the way I feed you all you've been slowly poisoning yourself for years. I've just aided it."

"Olivia, I'm incredibly sorry." Rory whispered to the woman next to her who couldn't help but smile at the scene in front of her, even if she was just taking it in quietly.

RLRL

"On to the Huntzberger's now?"

"I don't want to!" Logan whined as they left the Gilmore's house. "I'm too full."

"You knew we were getting dessert at your parent's house Logan. You didn't have to eat the one Emily provided."

"It was pumpkin pie, I'm not turning down pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving it's un-American."

"Fine, that's fair, but you then can't spend the evening griping when you voluntarily ate pie at every meal that we've been to so far." Rory pointed out as they pulled up to Huntzberger estate. Before they got out of the car Rory stopped him. "Just to let you know, Jess is an ex. I didn't know how much his girlfriend knew so I didn't say much and then Will wanted to ride with 'Cool Logan' which give me a break. But I just figured you should know."

Logan smiled and brushed it off. "I figured, no big deal. Now, are we going in? I'm pretty sure the maid made a cinnamon pie that I'm smelling."

"Dear god, do you ever stop?" Rory asked as he opened the car door for her and they made their way to the front door. Before they could ring the door bell two kids darted out to greet them. "Uncle Logan! Aunt Rory!" And with that they whisked into the foreboding parlor of the Huntzberger house.

"Hey ace, when we buy a more permanent house, I don't want a foyer that makes me feel like I'm going to break something if I breathe funny."

"Agreed."

RLRL

After dinner Rory and Honor had made their way into the sitting room for an after-dinner drink, the men went to Mitchum's study to have a cigar and Shira claimed to have a headache, so she excused herself to the master bedroom. "Are you guys staying here for the evening?" Rory asked Honor as they sipped on their wine.

"Yes, thank god they have their rooms here, so I don't have to transport them. It makes me enjoy this night just a little bit more." Honor poured herself another glass of wine.

RL

"Dad, it's time." Logan said as he finished off his glass of scotch that Mitchum had bought especially for the evening.

"Time?" Mitchum asked while raising an eyebrow at his son. "I thought you said it wouldn't be for a while?"

Logan just shrugged his shoulders. "We're buying a place together, she's already moving in, why not? We're not getting married tomorrow, hell, it may not even be next year, but what's the harm in a ring on her finger?" He tried to play it off as coolly as possible, but inside he was nervous. He didn't expect it to go this quickly but the moment the idea was in his head he couldn't get it out and every day he watched her get ready, every time she breezed into their apartment after work and got settled in, every time they had a quiet moment it took everything he had not to ask her. He wanted to have everything in place.

"Real romantic Logan, make sure you lead with that sweeping fairy tale." Josh spoke causing Mitchum to almost do a spit take back into his scotch tumbler.

"Wow, I like drinking Josh, so much better than Honor's handmaid Josh." Logan smirked at Josh. "But you make a good point, and I do have a plan. Hell, I have the other ring, but if we're going to do it, I want to have both of them. You know, warn her what she's really getting into."

"Well," Mitchum walked over to his desk and unlocked a drawer. "I've had this waiting ever since you told me about the trip a few months ago." And with that he held the ring box out to Logan. When Logan opened it up he couldn't help but smile, while it wasn't the perfect ring for Rory it would still look unbelievable on her. He couldn't help the fleeting thought of how much more suited it was for Rory than Cassandra. He felt the lump in his throat build but he closed the box and looked up at his father.

"Thank you." With that Mitchum nodded.

RLRL

An hour later they were back on the road when Rory fell asleep, only to feel the car stop what felt like seconds later and Logan waking her up. "Ace, we're here." She groggily ran her hand over her face and looked around.

"Logan, I know it feels like an eternity since we've been to the Dragonfly but I'm pretty sure it hasn't changed this much."

"Oh, you're so witty. Anyone ever tell you that? No, come on, get out of the car." When he grabbed her hand to help her out she looked at her surroundings, not fully comprehending where they were until he stopped in a hallway. "I met you here, ten years ago I met you here."

"You met me at the coffee cart. You forgot, but you actually met me at the coffee cart." Rory interrupted, not understanding the gravity of the conversation.

"Okay, fine, but the first time I was amazed by your eyes, by your wit, by you, was right here. I thought about you so much over those next few months, sometimes seeking you out just to spar with you for a few moments, even if they wouldn't go anywhere. And then we went to the Life and Death Brigade event and I fell with you and for you, and I thought so many times that if I started anything with you I'd be in deep quickly. Because you were so much, in so many ways you were and still are everything. And then fate intervened and sometimes I think it's for better but other times I curse all those chances with you that I never took, all those times I would pass you standing at a coffee cart and not drag you into a corner and kiss you, tell you what I was feeling, anything. But then sometimes, I think of where we are now and how much respect, and love, and admiration I have for you in ways I sometimes wonder if I ever would have been ready for back then with you.

Plus, now I get to see the woman you built yourself to be and not only are you just as smart, and witty, and beautiful as you were in college you're all that multiplied and you're successful, and hard-working, and just Wonder Woman."

"I told you I am not wearing that outfit Logan." Rory said through tears as the realization of what was happening started surrounding her.

"One more interruption and I won't get through this. Rory Gilmore, you impress me every day of our lives. From the moment I asked to join you for Chinese that night only 7 months ago I knew it was it for me, I knew the first night we spent together, and we discussed where we saw our futures, even if they weren't connected at the time, I knew that I was in deep. I was right all those years ago. If I got started with you, it would be something, so now I'm not asking for something. I'm asking for everything. Rory Gilmore, will you marry me?" He finally finished breathlessly as he got on one knee and opened the ring box, incredibly thankful for the empty campus that they were in.

Rory sobbed out a strangled yes before bending down and grabbing his face and kissed him. The ring presented to her was the ring he had picked out specifically for her. It was a single solitaire diamond, with more carats than should be acceptable with sapphires surrounding the band. As she finally allowed herself to look at it she couldn't help but let another sob escape.

"You've got to stop crying Ace. You're worrying me."

"No, these are happy tears. I promise. God, I love you! I wish I could make a comment about it being to fast, about it being to much, but I can't, I'm so happy it actually feels right." She kissed him while they were still on their knees in front of her old dorm.

"We should probably head back to the Dragonfly. I believe we have some celebrating to do."

On the car ride back, she couldn't help but look over at the ring, smiling as widely as possible. When he caught her distracted again while they were at a stop light he hurriedly texted Lorelei and told her he did it.

As they walked back to their room at the Dragonfly he reached into his pant pocket and produced another ring. "Now, listen I know that I already gave you a ring."

"The perfect ring." She said, staring down at it again.

"Yes, yes, now eyes up here. I know I already gave you your ring but there is the family ring as well." With that he opened up the box to show a ruby ring surrounded by smaller diamonds. It took her breath away as she looked at it.

"Wow, that's beautiful too. Maybe, I can wear this one for society events? Because it does deserve to be seen."

"Especially around my mother.

"Logan, that is awful. True and mean, but awful." She sighed as he put the other ring in his pocket. "So, is that a ring in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?" She smiled suggestively at him before he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Oh, I am very happy to see you, I'll be even happier when I see you, that ring and nothing else." He picked her up and carried her the rest of the way into their room.

When they burst into the bungalow's door there was a champagne bottle, chocolate covered strawberries and a note from her mom. "Congratulations kid."

RLRL

It was the next week after their Thanksgiving weekend and Logan was making his way to ask Rory out for lunch before they both took the rest of the afternoon off to go look at places for them to live in. They were still looking at places that were close to what they had now, but they both enjoyed the idea of a new place. Rory left most of her things in boxes to make the move easier. He had an extremely early morning and hadn't been able to see her yet this morning.

When he got to her office her door was closed, he knew he was early, but he didn't think she had any meetings today, but before he knocked he looked over at her assistant. "Hey, Casey?"

"Hey Logan! What's up?"

"Did Rory have a meeting today? I didn't want to knock and bug her, I just wanted to see if she could get out of here a little earlier than planned." He watched as Casey looked over her schedule.

"Hmm, no it looks like she's free. I'm not sure, you can head in if you'd like?"

Logan thought about it for a few minutes before finally decided to head in, when he walked in everything looked completely normal, the laptop was sitting on her desk and opened, her desk lamp was on, and there was a coffee cup right next to a stack of papers. The only thing out of place was Rory who was laying on the couch in the corner.

When he bent down he couldn't help himself from running his hand across her finger where the engagement ring sat, before he kissed her and tried waking her up. "Hey, you, what's up sleeping beauty?"

She wasn't fully awake, right between full REM sleep and moderately conscious when she spoke. "I don't know, I think the baby is making me tired."


	15. Chapter 15

**AATT 15**

Logan's eyes got wide at the same time that Rory shot up off the couch fully awake. "I wasn't going to tell you like this, I swear. I found out this morning, you were gone, and I was in shock, dear god I was in shock." She looked over at Logan whose eyes hadn't blinked yet and his mouth was completely still. "Yeah, I kind of looked like that. I was going to tell you tonight, at dinner. I have a doctor's appointment scheduled for tomorrow, even though it's early they have to make sure everything is okay with the IUD. I mean, I only discovered last night that I discovered I was late and so this morning I decided to take a test and I wasn't exactly expecting it to be positive. I mean, hell I have an IUD and I really didn't expect this to happen. I was terrified, still am, actually but I knew I had to tell you today. I had it all planned though, it was going to be at dinner and you would hopefully be somewhat happy or at least not comatose like you are now, and I know, god Logan I know this wasn't the plan, but I don't know what else to say. I mean, we have options. I know we do, and we can talk about those because we just got engaged, hell, I just got divorced earlier this year. Oh, my goodness, I got divorced earlier this year and I'm already engaged and pregnant?! Is there something wrong with me?! Am I a terrible person?" Rory got up and started pacing the office while Logan finally snapped out of his stupor and he grabbed her hand as she passed by him, plopping her down on the couch.

"I don't know what to say about a lot of the rant that just happened. I mean, I have a lot to say but I don't know how to say it." He watched Rory nod her head, and tears spring to her eyes before she dropped her head down and stared at the floor. He picked her head up by her chin and looked at her. "I want to start off by saying that you are not a terrible person, you are an amazing person. We got engaged because it felt—it feels right. Every time I look at you wearing that ring it feels amazing. And don't get me wrong, I'm terrified right now. Like petrified beyond belief, I mean I just got my Ace after years." Rory rolled her eyes at him, but the tears started to slow. "I had planned stuff for us, but now I just have to make new plans I suppose."

"I'm so sorry Logan. We have options."

"No." He gave her a look of incredulity.

"Logan." Rory spoke softly. She didn't want him to feel like he didn't have a say in this. Even if it's not what she wanted she would talk to him about it.

"NO Rory. No. We're engaged, we're rich, we have successful careers, we have families that love us, why would we? Sure, it's not planned, but we're not discussing options." And then he got quiet before finally meeting her eyes. "Unless…" His voice got softer again. "Unless, you want those options?" He didn't know what he would think if she did want those options, he'd respect her. But he was almost positive their relationship wouldn't survive that. He didn't know he wanted to be a dad, still didn't exactly feel comfortable with the idea, but he loved the idea of having a family with her. And if she didn't see kids in her future, in their future, then this might be it.

"No, I don't want those options." Logan let out a sigh of relief. "I just didn't want you to feel pressured, trust me I thought of all the points you just mentioned. And you're right, we are in the position where an unexpected baby isn't the worst thing to happen. I mean, I never fully imagined myself with kids. I'm sure it would have come up with Jameson in a few years but it's nothing I thought of too much because we were so content, why rock the boat? But I don't know, the idea of a baby with you? It's not as scary." She smiled up at him softly.

"So, we're having a baby?" Logan asked with a small smile that matched hers and raised an eyebrow.

"We're having a baby." She confirmed with a nod as he grabbed her face and kissed her, she broke the kiss quickly. "Oh, we need to update our house search!"

"Not really what I was focusing on, but okay." Logan laughed as she got out her phone to update the relator they would be meeting with in two hours. "Hey, in your filibuster you had earlier, did you mention an appointment tomorrow?"

"Oh! Yes! My appointment is at 6, I figured a later appointment would work for the both us, if you want to go. They have to take out the IUD, make sure the baby is okay."

"Why wouldn't the baby be okay?"

"Well, with an IUD, getting pregnant can be dangerous, for me and the baby. So, tomorrow they need to remove it, and do an ultrasound just to double check everything." She said with a casual tone that if he had no knowledge of the English language he'd be able to smile along and think that everything was okay. But unfortunately, he understood every word and apparently this was his first taste of being full-blown worry for his now immediate family.

"Well, what can go wrong?" He asked her, and she could hear the worry in his voice, she didn't want to freak him out but she had word babbled too much and now he was curious.

"Lo, don't worry about it, okay? We will talk to the doctor tomorrow and just make sure everything is okay. I'm assuming, by the wrinkles your exhibiting you're going tomorrow?"

"Of course, I'm going." Logan gave her a baffled look.

"Right, I figured as much, and I'm glad." She smiled over at him. "Wait, why are you here so early? I thought we were meeting with Fredrick later?"

"Ah, yes, I thought I'd take my fiancé to lunch. Unless, are you already having morning sickness, or cravings? Is there anything you can't eat? I think I remember sushi, deli meat—" Rory cut him off with a kiss.

"Italian sounds great Logan, what a wonderful suggestion."

"I didn't suggest Italian."

"I really needed something to shut you up." She shrugged her shoulders as she walked out of her office with Logan on her heels. "Casey, I'll be back tomorrow morning. Have a good rest of the day. I'll probably work from home tonight."

RLRLRL

"So, I figured we had already had 3 bedrooms as a requirement for the new place, I told Fredrick to bump it to 4, does that sound good?" Rory asked as she speared her spaghetti with her fork. She looked up to Logan who was buried in his phone, taking advantage of his distracted state she quickly grabbed a piece of the pizza he had ordered.

"Sure babe, that sounds fine." He never looked up at her, and barely mumbled out a reply. Oh, she could have fun with this.

"Okay, great, and then I thought, wouldn't a closet that was bigger than the actual master bedroom be wonderful, because who needs a king-sized bed with the way you hog things, we could fit into a twin, right? As long as we get somewhere that can house your suit collection." She raised an eyebrow to see if he would say anything.

"Yeah, just mention it when we get there." She rolled her eyes at him and tried one more time.

"Then I thought, who needs an office when we can just have a stripper pole? Maybe a whole stage, oh, and a disco ball, because I always thought it would be nice to pull an Elizabeth Berkley under a disco ball. Although, I will have to stock up on glitter." Rory continued to stare at him when he said nothing, finally she snapped. "Oh my god, what are you looking at?" She grabbed his phone from him while he blushed and cringed as she read over it. "Logan."

"No! I'm nervous, I have questions, I want to go in tomorrow prepared, I'm surprised you're not more freaked out. You, Miss prepared, miss organized, what you have nothing? You don't care what happens?" Logan heard the words coming out of his mouth but for the life of him could not figure out where they were coming from, he was panicked, in a way he didn't know he could be. But those words on his phone's screen terrified him. But then he looked at Rory's face, the face that was just jokingly frustrated with him seconds ago was now crumpled into itself and the worry he was feeling was now replaced by guilt. "Rory, I…"

But he never finished as she waved it off and ran out of the restaurant into the cold Manhattan air. He groaned as he threw down a hundred-dollar bill and rushed out, grabbing her coat on the way and he wrapped it around her body before standing in front of her and holding her while she cried. "Rory, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. That just came out of no where and so did all this fear and I'm just worried about you and the baby, and it's all new for me. I mean, I'm used to being worried about you. When you stubbornly decide to work extra hours, or not take a cab or the car service home and walk. We live in New York, Rory, who walks." She stopped her tears to look up at him and then sweep her arm around them, effectively hitting a pedestrian on accident. "Okay, point taken. But it never meant I felt safe with you walking around. I worry about you Ace. All the time. But they're general, everyday worries. But then you said that the baby was making you tired, and suddenly I'm not just worried about you but the baby too. This baby, that as of last night didn't even exist in our world is suddenly not at the top of my worry list. And then, as if this isn't enough, you say there's a risk to you and the baby. And now I'm really panicking and reading words like ectopic and previa and things I didn't ever want to know but they're now real threats. They are real threats to my fiancé and to my child and I fell down a rabbit hole and I'm scared." His head fell down on to her shoulders exhausted by the day already.

"I'm scared too Logan. And you're right, I should have let you do your research, I should have let you work on everything because you deserved that. I had that this morning, trust me I went down the rabbit hole myself and it's terrifying. I guess, that's why I tried to shield you from it. I have a list of questions prepared in a google doc, I'll share it with you tonight. I wanted to be prepared, but I didn't want you to have any added pressure. Today is a lot, it was already going to be a lot with the apartment hunting but now this little revelation? It throws everything off balance, and after we get done with the appointments today I'll let you google to your heart's content, as long as you promise to relax tonight and not think about it while you're gone, I'll make Colin watch you." She pointed to him, the tears now dried up and she smirked at him.

"Tonight?"

"Logan, it's Thursday, you have dinner with the guys tonight." He went to make a comment in protest before she stopped him. "You're going. I will most likely hole myself up in the room, looking over our pros and cons of the places we look at today, and start Christmas shopping. You will have had a hectic day and you'll need the time to unwind."

"You can go?"

"No. I love you three, Finn mostly, but no." She smiled at him as he squeezed her tighter. "Now, are we ready to meet Fredrick?"

"Yes, we did tell him no cameras, right?"

"Listen, I love to watch Bravo, I don't want to be on Bravo."

"I bet Lorelei wasn't happy about that." Logan laughed as she settled into his side while he wrapped his arm around her waist and climbed into the back of their town car that was taking them to their first destination.

RLRLRL

"Welcome to 12 East 22nd street. This place has 6 bedrooms, 6 baths, 6,840 sq. feet. It has a decent outdoor space. It's $25 million."

Rory and Logan looked around but the look on Rory's face made Logan pull her aside. "What's wrong Ace? Is it the price?"

"No. I mean, it's a lot, but it's fine. It's just… it's bright."

"Natural light is usually a marketable feature babe." Logan looked around the master bedroom which took over the whole top floor. Letting in light from both sides of the house. "Yes, I know. But with my migraines, I don't know."

"Ah, that makes a lot of sense. Okay, no problem. I didn't get the right vibe from this place anyway. Let's go check some of the other places out, okay?"

"Are you sure?" She didn't want to veto a place he had his heart set on.

"Of course!" With that they made their way downstairs and met back up with Fredrick. "I'm sorry, this place is pretty bright."

Fredrick's face contorted a bit. "Bright?"

"Rory gets migraines and she likes to have the house cold and dark when they hit. Obviously, some light is fine just maybe not so bright?" Logan looked around the kitchen they were now standing in, it was beautiful, but it had white subway tile and it backed up to the backyard which didn't have much shade. Yeah, this house definitely wouldn't do.

After 3 more hours of looking they pulled up to the last appointment of the day. "49 East 66th Street." As they walked around Logan and Rory couldn't help but be in awe. "It's 6 bed, 7 bath, 12,000 sq. feet, it's 20 million and it is a bit darker than the other one, plus they have great black out shades that are controlled through the smart home system."

"Is Katy Segal going to whir around my living room if I make her mad?" Rory asked tongue-in-cheek causing her to get questioning glances from Logan and Fredrick. "Never mind."

He watched her walk down the stairs and he followed her. "Well, what do you think Ace? We can replace the wood in the living room, making it a darker stain, and the kitchen, while white, had some darker accents, and it doesn't have a fully open backyard space, it's pretty covered by the pergola. But if you don't like it, then this is all a moot point." He looked at her as she kept smiling in his arms. This was the first place he had really tried to convince her of, this was the place they had both felt the immediate awe factor with.

"I think that we will need to padlock this door, so the baby doesn't get into this pool." She watched as the realization dawned on his face.

"You want it?"

"It's beautiful Logan, the fireplaces are insane, I don't know what we would do with all of them, and the amount of room we have is crazy? But between my family and our friends I feel like it will go to good use."

"Yeah, plus I'm pretty we could easily fit a stripper pole in that room by the master, although I think a twin bed would look a little silly in there, don't you?" He winked at her as he went downstairs to negotiate the contract and hopefully be in by the week before Christmas.

RLRL

That night Logan, Colin, and Finn met at their usual haunt. "What is up with you two?" Logan asked, gesturing between his two friends.

"Ask him." Colin pointedly glared at Finn.

"Oh my god, how was I supposed to know that she was your stepmom?" Finn's voice was exasperated but he couldn't help the smile that spread across your face.

"What did you do?" Logan's voice had a laugh to it, causing Colin to groan.

"I asked if she wanted anything besides the turkey stuffed this year."

Logan spat his scotch back into the tumbler he was drinking out of and all over Colin. "Sorry man, but come on, that's funny."

"Yeah, it's all fun and games until my dad announced on Sunday that he was getting another divorce." Now both Colin and Logan looked over at Finn.

"What?" He asked in mock innocence.

"Enough about this parasite, what about you, how was your Thanksgiving?" Colin asked, and Finn ignored the insult and focused on Logan.

"I got engaged." He said it off-handedly, but no one missed the huge smile across his face. However, that smile was quickly when he felt scotch sprayed back on him. "Oh gross."

"You proposed?"

"It's Rory, right?"

"No, it's Cassandra, she came back, and I said Rory who?" His delivery was full of sarcasm that the boys hadn't picked up on apparently.

"WHAT?!" Colin yelped. "Oh my god, this is going to take some explaining to Stephanie."

"I'm just happy I finally have a shot." Finn said, and Logan almost threw his drink on him.

"You morons. One, you're never getting a shot, do you hear me? And two, there's no way in hell it would be her, it was a joke, of course I proposed to Rory. My god. Plus, we found a house. Close in 2 weeks, be prepared to help move."

"Oh, hell no, I'm hiring movers for you pack rats. No way in hell am I helping you guys." Colin exclaimed.

"Well, a wife, a new place, looks like someone is growing up." Finn rose his glass in a toast. "To Mr. Huntzberger, soon to be Gilmore."

"Here, here!" Colin toasted with Finn as they both turned to Logan who had a 'cat that ate the canary' grin on his face.

"And soon to be father." And with that he clinked his glass with Colin and Finn's and smirked over his drink.

RLRL

"I just don't understand why you wouldn't want to be filmed?! You're so photogenic."

"Mom, we've been over this, I would really enjoy people not knowing about my life. Not everyone is like you who lives in a fishbowl of a town." Rory sighed as she gathered more laundry in her hands and carried it towards their laundry room.

"Says the one who married and is about to marry two prominent figures in their respective businesses and is prominent in her own business as well."

"There is a difference between that and putting your address out into the world."

"But you would be on the same channel as Dorinda, Nene, Gretchen!"

"I actually saw Dorinda at the restaurant we went to for dinner on Tuesday, didn't I tell you?" Rory harrumphed as she set the newest load down and started to separate it.

"I'm sorry, what?! You know what, I can't even talk to you. If I find out you charter the yacht while Kate is the chief stew and you don't invite me though you're going to be disowned." Lorelei chided her daughter.

"You have got to stop watching Bravo! What happened to Lifetime?"

"Luke threatened to block the channel if I recorded one more movie."

Rory laughed as she was leaning into the washing machine Logan came in the door and immediately pulled her back.

"Ace! What are you doing? Can't you hurt the baby like that?" He didn't notice her on the phone until he heard the shrill screech of Lorelei.

"A BABY?! A BABY?! WE'VE BEEN TALKING FOR 20 MINUTES AND YOU TOLD ME ABOUT YOUR HOUSE BUT NOTHING ABOUT THE BABY?!"

"I take it you hadn't told your mom about the news?" Logan laughed as Rory put the phone on speaker.

"I'm sorry mom, we have an appointment tomorrow and we wanted to get it confirmed before we started to tell people." Rory explained to her mom.

"Oh, wait, we agreed to that? Because I told Colin and Finn." He cringed as he told her, and watched her start hitting her head on the wall.

"Can you keep your mouth shut for a second?"

"I'm sorry those two knew before I did?! I am your mother and I find out last? Let me guess, Emily got a nice embossed card, with a wax seal? I just hear through the grapevine because my soon to be son-in-law has a big mouth? I suppose I should just be happy to hear at all."

"Wow, speaking of Emily someone sure sounds like her." Rory said with a laugh.

"Damn kid go for the gut. But fine, point taken. Now, will you at least call me after your appointment tomorrow?" Lorelei asked her.

"That was the whole plan, you were going to be our first call! It's not my fault Logan is like a kid on Christmas." She shot him a glare as he started kissing her before he finally got a worried look and then sprinted off towards the master bedroom. "Listen mom, I have to go but I will call you tomorrow, probably around 7, okay?"

"Yes, yes fine. Bye babe. Oh, and Rory? I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks mom." Rory said with a smile as she hung up the phone and went back to the laundry for a few more minutes before Logan was back in the laundry room with her and kissing her again when she pulled back. "Did you brush your teeth?"

"Yeah, I had a few drinks at dinner, I didn't want to hurt the baby."

"Wow, you're going to be exhausting, but it's actually really cute."

 **RLRL**

The next day Logan met Rory at her doctor's office at 5:55 where she was filling out paperwork. "I'm so sorry, I was heading out the door when I got stopped and asked a million questions and I was worried I was going to be late."

"No, you're right on time." Just as she said that the nurse walked out into the waiting room.

"Miss Gilmore?"

"That's us!" Rory patted Logan's leg as they stood up. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, sorry, we'll talk at home. Let's go check on our baby!" Logan didn't want to say anything, but he didn't even think about it until just now, when would they get married, did she want to do it before or after the baby, would the baby have his name, did she want his name? She hadn't taken Jameson's last name all those years ago, at least not professionally. What if she felt the same about his name? Before he could get to deep into his own thoughts the doctor entered.

"Hello Rory. Nice to see you back, and for such a happy occasion."

"Dr. Snowden, it's nice to see you. Let's just hope it is a happy occasion. Oh, Dr. Snowden, this is my fiancé Logan." Logan stood up to shake the doctor's hand.

"I'm sure everything will be fine. But let's take a look, okay?" Rory just nodded her head and bit her lip quietly.

Logan ran his thumb along the knuckles of the hand he was holding before he swept her hair out of her eyes and kissed her shoulder softly. "It's okay, it's going to be okay. No matter what happens." The doctor started the ultrasound and located the IUD first.

"Well, it looks like it is right where we left it, we will need to take that out today. Now, let's locate the baby." With a few more minutes of maneuvering the wand the doctor finally stopped and started to focus on one part of the screen before smiling. "There you are tiny!"

Rory and Logan both held their breath as they looked at the screen where the doctor was pointing, with a smile still on her face. "So, it's okay? The baby?"

"The baby looks great, it's in the right location, looks pretty safe in there too." Rory started crying as Logan just stared at the little blob on the screen. Suddenly the room was filled with a sound like a fast-moving train. "And that, is your baby's heartbeat."


	16. Chapter 16

**AATT 16**

"We can tell people now, right?" Logan asked over dinner, bouncing slightly in his seat. Rory was staring at the ultrasound picture that was sitting at the table. "Rory?" Still she didn't acknowledge him. "Ace?" He tried again but still nothing, finally he covered the ultrasound with his hand and she looked up. He had expected her to look up with a wistful look in her eyes, but instead he was met with fear in her eyes. "Ror, what's wrong?"

"I'm pregnant." She said breathlessly.

"Uh… yeah… I thought we've known that for a few days." He said it slowly while giving her a strange look.

"No, I mean I'm pregnant. Like with a baby."

He glanced from her to the ultrasound and back up to her again. "I'm confused, I thought you knew this? You did go to Yale right, graduated from there? I mean I know I saw you around campus, but you could've been a hell of an imposter. Even getting yourself on the Yale Daily News, really selling the whole charade."

Now it was Rory's turn to give him a strange look. "What the hell are you talking about Logan?"

"I'm just saying, you're intelligent, I thought you knew when the strip turned pink that there was a baby in there."

"I did. I just…" She trailed off and looked at the blob on the picture. "I just didn't expect it. A baby, you know? Oh my god, we have to tell our families. We have to tell our friends, well I guess your blabber mouth already told a few." She looked up at him, still with her deer in the headlight look but he couldn't wipe the beam off of his face. "I just wasn't expecting this, and now it's all real and I have to take time off work. I've never taken time off, I don't even know what that feels like. What if they try to replace me? You hear about it all the time on the news and I know it happens. I mean, I deserve my position, I worked hard for it. I know I'm young but I'm good. I can't lose it, I have to work Logan, I can offer to work from home, maybe that will help. Yeah, I can bring that up when I tell people. Plus, we have to plan a wedding and I will have to take time off work for that. Maybe I can extend my maternity leave into like a honeymoon? I don't know, I thought about being married before the baby comes. I would like us all to have the same last name when he or she is born." She was ranting so heavily she didn't see Logan's smile but she felt his hand on hers calming her down.

"Take a minute, okay. We have a few months to figure everything out. And as for the saving your job, you're kidding right? Rory, I'm not firing you. I'm not letting the Times fire you."

"That's nepotism Logan."

"It's not nepotism if you had the job before we even 'fraternized.' And I mean clearly we did." Logan smirked while nodding to the ultrasound that was on the table and Rory rolled her eyes.

"I used that word once, months ago Logan. Put the stick down. But come on, aren't you nervous? I mean, this is a baby."

"We're having a baby? I didn't realize!" He deadpanned to her as she glared at him. "Come on Ace. I'm happy, this is a happy thing. A stressful, unexpected, happy thing."

"Well, as long as you concede that it's stressful." She pouted but after a few minutes he saw her pout turn into a frown. "It is a happy thing, isn't it?"

"That it is. Now, can we talk about the wedding? I wasn't planning on a quick engagement, but you said something about wanting to marry before the baby, and quite frankly I think I would like that too."

"You would? I mean, you'd be okay with that?"

"I did propose to you, remember?" He had a twinkle to his eye as he speared his salad that he had ordered.

"Of course I remember. But you just said you weren't planning a quick engagement." She pointed out, using her fork that she had been using to push her food around at first but was now devouring the plate in front of her, the more she talked the more her appetite came back in full force.

"Yes, but when they called your name at the doctor it all kind of clicked for me. I thought it felt weird that this baby didn't have my name on it in anyway and then I thought what if you didn't want my name on it or if you were going to keep your maiden name and then gave the baby your name. Then I started spiraling, I was going to talk to you about it tonight, but someone had to have their wig out moment first and I was ignored." He faked a pout to her but her genuine smile caught him off guard and he couldn't help but smile back. "What?"

"You thought I wouldn't give the baby your name? Hell, you thought I wouldn't take your last name?"

"You, professionally at least, have always been Gilmore. You never went to Bass. How was I supposed to know? I didn't want to assume."

"Hey, I've been waiting since college to land the Logan Huntzberger, you think I'm not flaunting that?" She smirked at him as the next course came out. "I was planning on going to Huntzberger, and yes, I would obviously give the baby your name…" She paused for a minute. "I guess, our name." He squeezed her hand as she said it and they both went back to eating quietly.

"So, when are we thinking of doing the wedding? I mean, do you want to be showing, do you care?"

"Logan, this is your wedding too. It's not all my decision. And, to address the elephant in the room, not exactly my first."

"I want you in your dream dress. I saw the wedding pictures with Jameson, you looked, god, I can't even form into words. But it seemed like such a big wedding, if you didn't want that again, well I'll admittedly be thankful."

"You would?"

"All that bullshit sounds exhausting." He shrugged. "I know it was the plan if I would have married Cassandra, but that's because her and my mom would have had a field day with it. If it's not what you want, then we don't have to it like that. I'd go to the court house tomorrow with you."

"Wow, you would've thought the Huntzberger I knew all those years ago would be this guy?"

"What guy?"

"Wanting to get married so quickly, taking a new baby in stride, hell proposing after only six months."

"Well, people change. And I learned that if I want something, I need to go after it. I should have done that all those years ago."

"At least we figured it out now. And we're clearly not wasting any time." She gestured to the ultrasound again that was now sitting in clear view of both of them. "Well, maybe right at the beginning of February? Gives us a few months so we can get settled in the new house, focus on Christmas, I can order the dress I want. I won't be showing yet, or barely so and I can have the seamstress create a panel and hide it all. I already talked to Lane and Paris about being bridesmaids. Lane said of course. Paris said she has done it once and she doesn't feel the need to do it again because who knows if this one is going to stick." At that Rory rolled her eyes. "I'd be happy to have Steph and Honor stand up with me if you think they would. We could probably have it at my mom's inn. Unless you wanted a church, I'm not a huge church person but if it means a lot to you I can think of a few beautiful ones off the top of my head."

"Weren't you just having a meltdown about all of this?"

"Yes. Why?"

"I'm trying to figure out how you went from meltdown to having this all planned out, it's impressive, and strangely a turn on."

"Logan, you think I haven't been thinking about my dream wedding to you for a few months now?" She scoffed as she sent a mischievous smile to him. "Come on Huntzberger, you're not the only one who goes after what they want. I just had to make sure you were on the same page as I was."

"Yep, definitely a turn on." He decided as he signaled for the check.

RLRL

 _There was a young man who looked almost exactly like Rory, the deep brunette hair, the crystal-clear blue eyes. He was standing in front of an older looking Logan with a set jaw that matched his fathers. "I apologized dad, what more do you want?!"_

" _I want you to take responsibility Lucas. That is all I'm asking for. Take responsibility for what you did, for the damage you caused."_

" _I didn't cause any damage."_

" _Have you seen my car? This is serious."_

Suddenly everything morphed.

 _A little girl about 3 with bouncy blonde curls was spinning around the living room of the house they had just bought. She heard the back door open and saw Rory walking through it, smiling at Logan and the little girl. "Mommy! You're home! Look at how much I can spin without getting dizzy!"_

" _Great job Ellie girl!" Logan watched as she gave a hug to the young girl and then came over to give him a hug. "It's so nice to have you home when I come home. You look good barefoot in my kitchen." She smirked up at him as she gave him a kiss._

" _It's nice having you come home to me."_

Suddenly he was watching a kindergarten graduation.

 _He watched as the kids lined up. "Doesn't this all seem a little silly to you?" He asked Rory, leaning over and whispering to her._

" _Of course, it does Logan, but look at how cute he looks." She motioned over to a little boy standing in a cap and gown that were to big for him who caught his dad's eyes and Logan watched as the boy's eyes lit up and he waved frantically._

" _He does look cute." As he heard 'Matthew Logan Huntzberger' he watched his son cross the smallest stage he had ever seen and as he grabbed the certificate from his teacher he started to pick his nose causing Rory to hide her eyes in embarrassment but Logan to start laughing. "Oh yeah, super cute."_

 _He looked around him as a girl about 18 sat at a kitchen table with books surrounding her and headphones in her ear. "Olive?" No response. "Olive?" He turned toward Rory who shrugged her shoulders._

" _She's been entrenched in her books for hours. I've tried."_

" _Olive!"_

" _Dear god, what you two? I have finals to study for!" With that the young girl got up and gathered her books and headed toward her room in a huff._

Suddenly Logan bolted out of a dead sleep. "Holy shit, we're going to have a baby. Rory! Wake up! Did you know they don't just stay babies forever?!"

He watched her barely come to consciousness, "So, I guess the freak out hit you, huh?" She asked, but his wild eyes gave him away. "Alright, it's time for me to talk you down." She grabbed his hand as she started comforting him just like he had at dinner earlier. "What brought all of this on?"

"I saw three kids, different sections, from when they were little toddlers, you came home from work and you said you looked good in our kitchen."

"Your ego is inflated even in your dreams isn't it?" She deadpanned.

"I'm going through a crisis; can you save your quippy comments for after the floor show? Thank you. Now, where was I? Oh yes, looking devilishly handsome in our kitchen and this little girl is just constantly doing circles until you walk in and she looks so happy to see you. And there was another time where it was a little boy having his kindergarten graduation and he goes to get his certificate from the teacher and he picks his nose. Or a teenage girl who is studying and ignoring us because how dare we interrupt her studies. And then the there is one and it's this teenage boy who I'm yelling at because apparently, he's just like me with the being a little disrespect deviant, except he looked like you. I mean, exactly like a teenage boy version of you. It was almost uncanny."

"I look like a teenage boy to you?"

"Okay, that came out wrong. But you know what I mean. It was just weird to see all these different ages. I hear that you're pregnant and I think 'tiny baby', 'newborn', 'diapers.' I don't think 'graduations, fake or otherwise', or getting into trouble. It just all hit that it's not just the baby stage. It's every day, for years. It's a whole person. I just wasn't expecting the discovery to hit all the sudden and in the middle of the night."

She wrapped her arms around him and held him close to her as he finally calmed down. "Yeah, when it hits it feels like a freight train. I get it. And you know, we may have a son who gets into trouble, or we may have a daughter who decides to join a circus, or both you tag-team us and we don't stand a chance. And there are going to be days, sometimes even years that are just brutal as hell. There will be days we hate being parents, or where we fight over how to parent. But remember, we have months to get to prepare for their arrival. And then years until they start vandalizing things, hopefully. We have time to prepare." She ran her hand down his back trying to calm him down.

"Thank you, babe."

"Eh, it's no problem. I might be an emotional wreck this pregnancy we don't know, I figured I should probably bank some helpful fiancé points to help me in the future."

"You just used my emotional breakdown for your own personal gain?" He fake shocked and appalled. "Why Ms. Gilmore you should be ashamed of yourself. I trusted you, I confided in you and you used me."

"I can think of a few other ways I can use you if you'd shut your mouth."

"Yeah, I'm okay with being used."


	17. Chapter 17- Short and Fluffy

**AATT 17**

"Ace?" Logan walked in groaning while carrying another box, Finn and Colin behind him, both with boxes of their own. They were finally moving in to their home, it was right on schedule, but it still felt like it took a while. Especially because every day it felt like Rory came home with a new Christmas decoration and added it to the stacks of boxes surrounding what was once a bachelor pad. But now, today they were finally moving in and now he watched as his fiancé stood by the completely bare Christmas tree that she had insisted be the first thing unpacked.

"Yeah babe?" She turned around to look at him and she smiled sweetly as she worked to unpack her box that she had been working on, full of Christmas ornaments.

"Gilmore, you're adorable, and we'd do anything for you, but can I please ask why you didn't hire movers?" Colin asked as he dropped the box he was carrying, prompting Finn and Logan to do the same.

"Hey, I offered to hire movers, encouraged it actually. But Logan said that since you guys had helped with my surprise of getting me into his apartment, it was now tradition that you move me in everywhere I go." She said it with a smirk as Logan groaned and made his way over to Rory.

"Hey, Ace. Remember when I also said that certain things shouldn't be shared with anyone outside of the relationship?"

"I thought that meant your safe word?" She smiled with a fake sweetness up at him, but he could see the mischievous glint in her eyes as he groaned again when he heard Finn speak up.

"You're the one with the safe word mate?"

"Damn, Gilmore." Colin spoke up. "Alright, well now that we know to much about Logan and Rory's sex life, where would Rory like her books? Preferably somewhere on the first floor?"

"I'm sorry Colin, it's the second door on the left of the second floor." She said with sympathy in her eyes, as he walked away with a mumbling Finn following behind him Logan leaned down to kiss her cheek.

"I thought the books were going on the first floor?" He asked her while he went to go pick up his own box.

"Oh, they are."

"You're evil Ace."

RLRLRL

Late that night Logan rolled over, prepared to try to pry his arm out from under Rory's body. But instead her side of the bed was empty, that was strange, she was always an incredibly deep sleeper, never woke up when he would at 1:45 looking for a snack, or a drink. A habit he wasn't sure she even knew about but ever since he had started having a normal work schedule, he would still get the late-night munchies, he was convinced it was carry-over from his college career. But this night really threw him, Rory wasn't there, their room looked different. It took him a few minutes to get used to his new surroundings as he made his way down the steps and towards the kitchen, he wasn't even sure it was stocked, but even in his new surroundings he was on auto-pilot.

When he made his way through the kitchen, finding a pint of Ben and Jerry's in the freezer he grabbed it, and decided to try to find Rory. He looked over at the stove to see that the tea kettle had been unpacked and was out, along with a tea bag sitting in the sink. She had started drinking more tea once she found out about the baby, and ever since he would constantly find teabags in the sink. _"Babe, why do you constantly put the teabag in the sink? Just throw it away." He had finally asked her one day after he found 3 of them in the sink._

" _Because they're too hot to go into the trash can, so I let them cool in the sink." She had answered him so simply, as if her logic was the soundest in the world. He couldn't help but stare at her with a sense of bewilderment before he finally just shook his head, grabbed the three teabags and threw them away._

Shaking his head out of the reminiscing he decided to grab a second spoon and follow the soft glow of the Christmas tree. Sure enough, she was sitting on their giant leather sectional she had delivered for their move in day. She had cuddled up under her favorite blanket, with a mug in her hand, and she looked lost in thought. It wasn't until he sat down, and the couch jostled slightly did she seem to break her trance.

"Hey you! I didn't realize it was 1:45 already." She looked up at him with a small smile and then she looked down. "Oh, good, you did find the Ben and Jerry's."

He had to laugh slightly. Of course, she knew, he wasn't sure she did much unintentionally, and then he glanced down to realize that she had gotten his favorite flavor too. He'd ask her about this later, for now he just wanted to know what was bothering her. "Yeah, it's getting late, a little past 1:45 actually. I was a bit late finding you since I had to clean up a certain mess." He shifted his eyes down to the mug in her hands as she rolled her eyes in response. "What are you doing in here babe?"

"Just thinking." She flippantly said as she snuggled into his chest. She was hoping he'd let her get away with just saying that, however she heard him start to say something, so she sighed and started again. "I just love the way the Christmas tree glows. Even when my migraines hit, I always, always have it on. It soothes my anxiety, takes away my fears, just makes the world go quiet for a bit. My mom has that with snow, and don't get me wrong I love snow. But sometimes I just lay under the tree and look up at the lights as they twinkle and it just all falls away."

"Okay, I get that. What's on your mind tonight?"

"You know last year at this time, my life was good, it was safe, it was normal. We were at different conventions, we did events together, but it didn't feel like Christmas last year. Not in the way it does this year. This year, I just feel at home. This year, I just, I don't know it's so different. And next year, we'll have a baby here. So, I guess tonight I was just embracing the new, embracing the peace." She got quiet for a minute. "I'm just embracing the happiness."

Logan wasn't sure what to say, so he just decided to ramble. "Last year, I was at my parents house, reeling from what felt like a heartbreak, trying to figure out what I was going to do here, how I was going to establish myself. Just trying to figure out my new life. I was miserable, and an awful work-a-holic jackass who didn't want to care about anything. And this year? Because you rushed past me at a party, because you wanted to know what it would be like, because we pushed each other, I actually have something, many things actually to celebrate."

"Thank you, Logan."

"Anytime, Ace."

 **A/N: I just needed some fluffiness. Especially Christmas time fluffiness.**


	18. Chapter 18

**AATT 18**

It was Friday, December 23rd, and Rory couldn't help but look around her house with a sense of pride. The tree was perfect, that first night it was still bare, with the exception of the twinkling white lights that were preinstalled on the 12-foot Christmas tree. But otherwise, that first night the tree was like the Charlie Brown Christmas tree that night, however now, it was decorated to the nines, yet simply. The white twinkling lights were still there however now perfectly accompanied with red and silver balls and a simple silver garland. She couldn't help but stand back and admire her hard work, and Logan's hard work as she looked above her head. He wouldn't let her hang any ornament above her head in case she hurt the baby. The reminder brought a smile to her face as she ran her hand along her stomach gently. She couldn't help but sigh contently as she swayed slightly side-to-side.

"Ah, rocking her back and forth already?" Logan asked, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her while he joined her in the rocking.

"Well, I like to make sure he is used to the rhythm."

"I'm not sure, if she's anything like you, she won't have any rhythm no matter what you do." Logan kissed the top of her head as she let her head fall back into his chest, letting him to take the lead in their 'dance.' "This tree looks amazing babe, but it is missing something." With those words he brought one of his arms around to right in front of her, holding a small box.

"Is this an early Christmas present? For me?!"

"Well, I thought of giving it to Finn, but I saw you first, so I might as well give it to you." He unwrapped his arms from around and turned her around to face him. He watched as her face lit up like the tree behind her as she unwrapped it. Finally, he heard her gasp as tears sprang to her eyes, she held the ornament out onto the tip of her finger as she let it sparkle in the low light.

"Logan, it's perfect." She admired the sparkle of the crystal as her finger traced the etching of the lettering. "Baby's First Christmas, December 2017."

"I know that I should've waited until next year, but I thought, why not?" Admittedly he was hoping this could be how they broke the news to everyone that was coming this weekend, but he didn't want to say anything to Rory just yet. "So, beautiful, what did you have in mind for dinner?"

"I thought you were picking something up?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Um, no. You said that you had a few ideas in mind."

"Logan!" All of the sudden her anger was palpable, and he could not figure out where he went wrong.

"What?!"

"You seriously are acting like this right now?"

"Confused? Yeah, I am acting like this right now." _No seriously, where the hell did this conversation veer off course?_ He couldn't help but ask himself as he watched her storm into the kitchen.

"So, what, you just want me to cook your dinner? Be barefoot and pregnant for you? I have work to do Logan!"

"Rory! That's the last thing I want, I want to live to see this Christmas, why would I want you to cook?" He tried to diffuse the situation with a joke but the way her whole head spun around and the fire in her eyes made him fear his fiancé had been replaced with Linda Blair. He tried to raise his hand in surrender, but she was not having any of it.

"Oh, ha ha, Rory can't cook. Get new material Logan." She started storming around the kitchen and slamming cabinets before she finally opened, and then promptly slammed the pantry door. "We don't have anything Logan! So, I guess you don't get your damn perfect Donna Reed wife." Then she sat herself on the kitchen floor.

Logan stood there fighting every muscle in his face to not smirk at her outburst. He had been confused before but now he was just amused. He had seen Rory mad, he had seen her goaded, but this whirling dervish of nonsense was one of the most comical things he had ever seen and as much as he wanted to continue to see it, he also wanted to calm her down, and if he could avoid sleeping on the couch tonight, that would also be appreciated. "Ace?"

"Wipe that smirk off your damn face Logan." She said with her head in her hands.

"Now, that is not even fair, you aren't even looking at me to see that smirking. You shouldn't assume."

"I'm also not an invalid Logan. I can hear that ridiculous tone in your voice. Now, what were you going to say?"

"I was going to say do you want me to go pick up Greek? But if this is how you're going to act." The moment he suggested Greek she was back on her feet and rushing to the small desk they had in the kitchen and pulling out a pad of paper, writing down everything she wanted from the place a few blocks away, without saying a word. "So, I take it that sounds good?" He asked, the smirk in full effect. She glared at him before thrusting the list into his hands and stomping off up the stairs to run a bath for herself. "I love you babe!" She heard him scream and she couldn't help but roll her eyes and smile.

"I love you too Lo! Oh, and add an additional gyro to that list for me please, it will be nice to have as leftovers tomorrow. And the baklava for yourself for tonight."

RLRLRL

It was the first time Lorelei, Luke, Chris, and her grandparents would be seeing her and Logan's new place. She was nervous, so incredibly nervous. She knew that her mom would make a comment about the ostentatiousness of it all, while her grandmother would make a comment, or 12 about the decoration. Meanwhile, Chris, Luke, Logan, and Richard would somehow get into some lengthy discussion about the architecture, or the age, or the insurance. All-in-all she was mildly dreading this visit. But then she looked over at Logan, who had saddled himself up to the stove and was making her a breakfast that after her outburst last night, she probably didn't deserve. When she had tried to say she was sorry last night he slightly laughed before telling her he was fine, but he was not expecting a recreation of the exorcist just for asking about dinner.

Yeah, she was happy, but that didn't stop the dread from floating up. There were just going to be to many personalities in one house and at the center of it she was making an announcement. Well, I guess they were making the announcement. She couldn't help but wonder if maybe they could hold it back for a little while, it was still early, they didn't have to announce it to everyone, did they? With those thoughts she decided to head over to the tree and take the ornament off before setting it off to the side. Just as she did that, she heard Logan calling her into the kitchen for breakfast.

She sat down as he set her plate in front of her, he ran his hand on her backs, it was one of her favorite parts about Logan. He was always finding ways of being near her, touching her, just always assuring her he was within arm's reach.

"So, are you excited about the Gilmore invasion?" He asked as he watched her face cloud over for a minute.

"I'm excited to see everyone. It will be nice to see Gigi, finally back from Paris, and with the way every little kid is around you, I'm sure she'll just be so excited to be around Uncle Logan." She added with an eye roll. "And, I'm excited that everyone will get to see the place, but I don't know. I'm so tired and so overwhelmed, plus we have to announce that we're rushing up the wedding to my grandmother. Do you know the argument that is going to come out of that?"

"At least it's for a good reason." He added with a smile as he noticed that she had eaten all of her bacon, so he gave her some of his.

"It is for a good reason; doesn't mean she won't throw a fit about something." She said it dejectedly as if she was already dreading the confrontation.

"Hey, it's our first Christmas eve. Just remember that. They'll come this afternoon, we'll have a great time. You did an amazing job getting this place together, and everything is going to be fine."

"I guess you're right." She added with a smile before she looked down at her plate. "Hey, do we have anymore bacon?"

RLRLRL

Logan was doing a final run through of the house before his future in-laws arrived. He had been strong for Rory just a few hours ago but now the dread was starting to set in for him as well. He knew there was nothing to worry about too much. However, he did have to find a way to tell his father-in-law, step-father-in-law, and the infamous Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore that he and Rory were going to have a baby. Just as he thought about that he shifted focus to the tree only to see the ornament he had been so excited to pick out was now nowhere to be found.

 **A/N: Will update tomorrow or Sunday.**


	19. Chapter 19

**AATT 19**

"Ror?" Logan yelled from the bottom of the stairs as he waited for Rory to acknowledge his call. He didn't know why but the lack of ornament was bugging him. Why had she taken it off? Why was she trying to hide it? He didn't realize how excited he had been to tell people, especially people he knew would be excited about it until he saw the ornament missing. A few more minutes passed before he finally called for her again. "Rory!"

"What?!" She cried out with a disgruntled face as she made her way to the top of the flight of steps he was standing at the top of, he couldn't help but ignore the anger he was feeling as he saw her. She looked so beautiful, a perfect Christmas red dress was hugging her form, which still showed no sign of pregnancy. Her brown hair was done pin straight as it reached down to right in between her shoulders and he couldn't help but smile at the engagement ring on her finger. He had to shake his head to get rid of the thoughts of her in college, their beginning, to now.

"Wow. Ace, you look phenomenal." Logan breathed out as he watched her make her way down the steps, holding a pair of simple forest green ballet flats in her hand. Her disgruntled face turned into a smile as she met his eyes.

"Well, I figured our first Christmas, I should go all out." She started to twirl as she got to the end of the stairs where he was standing. However, the term first Christmas, brought him out of his haze that she tended to make come over him and he felt the agitation and confusion welling up inside of him.

"And you definitely did. But speaking of first Christmas, where did the baby's ornament go?" He asked, but he couldn't help but hate the fact that agitation was prevalent when he spoke. Something that unfortunately Rory picked up on right away.

"Oh, uh, I put it up."

"Okay." He let the word drag out a bit before he spoke again. "Any particular reason?"

"Well, I just didn't think we were letting the cat out of the bag so to speak." She tried to brush past him, but he stopped her.

"Ace, what the hell?"

"What is your problem? It's just an ornament." She hated the words the second they left her mouth, but she couldn't stop them and just as she went to apologize the doorbell rang, indicating that their guests had arrived. She hated this, they hardly argued, even when she was acting crazy, he would just laugh, brush her off and then kiss her and everything would be fine. She hadn't seen him look that hurt as he did just now. It wasn't just an ornament, he had made no indication that he was anything less than ecstatic about this baby. And she was too, now that they were in their house and settled, their house that he let her have almost complete free reign over, the house that he made sure worked perfectly for her, and for them, she was getting so excited about this baby, even more than she was excited about marrying him which was saying a lot more than he even realized. She had to apologize, she had to tell him before they greeted the guests at the door, which judging by the frantic knocking it was her mother. "Logan, I'm—"

Logan wouldn't listen, he couldn't. He hated that this was bothering him, he hated that apparently, he had developed one of her mood swings, he hated that this one single ornament was bugging him. But why didn't she want to tell people? Why was it so bad? Yes, he knew the risks that she was facing, he knew that not every pregnancy made it, he didn't want to acknowledge those risks, but he knew that they existed. He wasn't talking about taking out a billboard and announcing it in Times Square, but he simply just wanted to let her family know. Okay, so maybe he should let her take the reins on this, I mean he got to tell his friends and he knew she wouldn't mind if he told Honor. But he was just so happy. He was happy that she was his, he was happy that the girl he had such a huge crush on in college was now the one he actually wanted to start a family with. He couldn't help but think about how miserable he had been last year for Christmas and how his whole world had done such a 180 degree turn and he just wanted to share that happiness with family. He knew he was being stubborn but at this point he didn't want to hear the apology, not when, what seemed like her mother, was pounding on the door and now ringing the doorbell. He heard her about to apologize and he just shook his head. "Later babe." Without thinking, he gave her a small peck on her forehead and watched as she sent him a small smile before rolling her eyes.

"I'm coming mom! Calm the hell down." She said as she put her shoes on and made her way to the front door to open it. Logan watched as Lorelei shoved Luke and Will out of her way to give Rory a hug.

Logan threw on a smile as he went to the door to help Luke and Will into the house, Luke was carrying bags upon bags of gifts and Logan grabbed a few and helped him set the gifts under the already almost over flowing tree. Between Will, Gigi, Chris, Lorelei, Luke, Emily and Richard the tree looked like it was a display. Luke looked over at the tree and shook his head. "You should see how full ours is, luckily we got rid of some of the gifts by bringing them over here, but Lorelei decided that Will and April needed 3 presents for every year they've been alive. She tried to do the same thing with Rory, but I quickly put the kibosh on that, I had to convince her that Rory does not need more books."

"That may be the last thing that Rory needs quite honestly. We had to convert one of the rooms into just shelves. It's like a library, whenever I go in there, I speak in hushed tones so as not to disturb the books, per her request." Logan couldn't help but smile as he said it and watched as Luke rolled his eyes. "I have some beer in the fridge for you and Chris and I have some chocolate milk for you Will if you'd like?" He ruffled the head of the little boy who was now focused on the drink instead of the mound of presents that would be for him. They made their way into the kitchen and he couldn't help but feel Rory's eyes on his. He knew he had to play nice today but if he looked at her, she would see that he was hurt, and he wasn't ready to get into that discussion.

"So, when does mommy get to see the rest of this shoebox?" Lorelei asked as they stood in the living room that was illuminated by the tree and the LED candles she had put out. Not only that, but also the overhead lights were dimmed. There was garland decorating the mantle and a faint sound of a Christmas album was playing throughout the speakers that were wired throughout the house.

"When everyone else gets here, like I told you on the phone, 4 times this week."

"But I'm your best friend, don't I get first dibs on seeing where you're living? Why do I have to wait for the other common folk?"

"I gave you the option to come earlier! You chose not to, making some comment about how you can't be expected to drop everything just to come see where I'm living this week." Rory pointed out as she watched Logan, Luke, and Will walk into the kitchen. "How about you get a sneak peak and we grab drinks while we wait for everyone else?"

They walked into the kitchen and Logan handed Rory a mug of tea that he had made for her before their argument, it was finally cool enough to drink, and then started making Lorelei a martini from the wet bar in the kitchen. "This doesn't everything, but the bar in the living room is fully stocked so we can grab everyone else's drinks from there." Logan said as he got done passing out the drinks.

"Well why did we get drinks from the auxiliary cart? Why didn't we get it from the fully stocked one? Are we not special enough? Logan, I gave you Rory, the greatest thing in your life, and you are giving me drinks from a subpar cart?"

"If you'd like, I can make you a drink from the other cart?" Logan asked with a smirk. "I wouldn't want any part of your time here to be anything but extraordinary."

"Oh, don't be ridiculous Lorelei." Luke asked as he rolled his eyes at the exchange.

"Wait, is my chocolate milk subpar?" Will asked and Rory groaned while Logan and Lorelei laughed, finally they heard the doorbell rang and Rory let out a sigh of relief as she went to the door, when she opened it, she saw the rest of their party waiting on her doorstep.

"Hello! Did you guys come together?"

"Just a happy coincidence." Chris said as he leaned in to give Rory a hug, Gigi, Emily and Richard did the same once they made their way into the foyer.

"Now that everyone is here can we get started on the tour? I'd like to know how jealous I get to be, although judging by the first floor, I'm pretty sure I won't be speaking to her until the new year." Lorelei asked as she came bounding into the foyer.

"Merry Christmas to you too Lorelei, can your father and Christopher put their stuff down or are you to impatient for that?" Emily asked.

"Fine, I suppose it can wait a minute, but hurry up. Logan! Get their drinks ready, make it from the really bad drink cart if you have to!"

"Lorelei! You do not demand people do things in their own homes, it's disrespectful!"

"It's not a problem Emily. And I was way ahead of her, anyway." Logan exclaimed as he came in carrying drinks for everyone. A martini for Emily, a scotch for Richard, a beer for Chris, and a soda for Gigi. "Richard, Chris, if you'd like to put any gifts in the living room, feel free." He told them as he led them to the living room. Once they were all back in the foyer, they made their way upstairs to start the tour.

At the top of the first flight they were looking at the 4 of the 6 bedrooms, one of them was the library that Rory had set up, another was an office that had a double desk, one side had pictures everywhere, but the files were nicely set up and put away. The other side was decidedly messier, but in an organized chaos sort of way, matching Apple computers sat on top of each of them, the only difference was the book decal that marked Rory's laptop. The other two rooms had been converted to guest bedrooms although they were still more bare than they would like. There was 2 bathrooms located on this floor as well.

Making their way to the top floor there was a master bedroom with a master closet and master bathroom attached, there were the same soft lighting throughout the house that was featured in the downstairs living room. Rory hadn't wanted bright lights, especially for the holiday season. However, she couldn't help but feel especially proud of the master. It had dark, deep wood, making the room feel cozy, warm, and almost lodge-like when you looked out of their window out over the backyard space they had where snow was falling. The plush comforter looked inviting and she couldn't help but want to curl up under the comforter while the fireplace that was underneath the TV was roaring, and her head on Logan's chest but tonight he was barely coming close to her, and it wasn't like she could ignore her guests to escape into the winter wonderland she had created with him tonight. She looked over where he was, about to lead them into what will be decorated as the nursery in a few months, once they learn what the baby is and decide on a theme but now, they've decided to leave it bare. As they made their way to that room, she could feel the distance. Before they could all make their way downstairs to the 'basement' where the heated pool and the hot tub were, she pulled him aside.

"Hey, would you mind taking them down? I need to just do something up here." Rory asked him, and she noticed he barely would make eye contact with her.

"Uh, yeah, that's fine. See you in a bit?"

"Logan. I'm really sorry."

"We'll just talk later, okay?" He asked her and the only thing she could do was lightly nod her head as he left her to go downstairs.

RLRL

Later on, that evening as they all sat in the living room opening presents Rory couldn't help but smile as she watched Logan with her family, he looked so happy, so at ease, and she could feel her heart growing. She looked at the ornament that was sitting next to her, slightly hidden, and it hit her that somehow, she had become the Grinch. If something happened, if any of those scary risks that were causing her to want to delay the announcement happened, she had support. And her mom knew, his friends knew, what was the problem with sharing the news at such a perfect moment anyway.

Rory cleared her throat as she held out the ornament. "Everyone, we have an announcement." She watched her grandma start to tear up, she watched the men shake hands with Logan, and her mom let out a breath that she had pretended to be holding.

"Thank goodness, you finally said something! I wasn't sure if I could keep my mouth shut."

"A feat you have yet to accomplish." Emily deadpanned as she admired the ultrasound that Rory had also brought down along with the ornament. From across the room Logan finally made eye contact with her where he mouthed a simple 'thank you.'

RLRRL

"I know I was being ridiculous earlier, I just got so excited to share because this is a big deal for me. I should've realized that this is your body and I shouldn't have pressured you to announce. I'm really sorry." Logan told her as they laid in their bed and watched the snow come down. It was almost midnight and they were just finally crawling into bed after their guests had left and the cleanup had commenced.

"I'm glad we told them. I'm glad you got me that ornament, I shouldn't have said it was just an ornament. I'm sorry. I am excited Logan, so excited you don't even know. I'm so glad that we're having this baby, even if the timing was a bit off, I can't wait." Rory told him as she intertwined their fingers.

"I'm pretty sure you just made Emily's 2016 and 2017." Logan chuckled, letting the apologies come to an end.

"Are you kidding, her 2016 was made the moment I brought you home."

"That was about when my 2016 was made too." Logan said as he kissed her.


	20. Chapter 20

**AATT 20**

It was two weeks after Christmas and Rory had taken a drastic step with her hair. It had been a long week and she had a hair appointment before she was set to meet the guys at their usual Thursday night restaurant. As she was getting ready to leave, she looked over the saved picture on her phone, she wasn't sure she was making the right decision but then she remembered the week that had just passed, and how much she needed a change. With that thought she brought her left hand to her stomach showing just how many changes she was really going through, one more wouldn't hurt though, right?

RLRL

"Put the lady's drink on my tab." Rory heard a very familiar voice next to her as she sat at the bar waiting for the rest of her party to arrive. Logan had been held up at the office, and the other two never came on time for reasons she still didn't understand, and no one would tell her. "Good evening, love, new to New York?" The voice asked her, and Rory couldn't help but laugh, she knew it was a change, but she didn't think she would be this unrecognizable. But then again, her newly minted mulled wine hair was a vast contrast from the light brown that she usually had, and the hair dresser had done a wonder with the soft, loose curls that were shielding her face, the 6 inches that had been cut off also made for a huge difference.

Rory couldn't help but smile as she turned to face Finn whose face went from a charming smile to a panic-stricken face as she made eye contact with him. "Actually, my fiancé and I live here. What about you?"

"I'm so sorry love. I just didn't recognize you. Logan didn't tell us, and I was trying to grab us all drinks before I headed over to the table and then I saw you from behind, and I'm going to stop there before I really get my arse kicked."

"No one is going to kick your ass Finn. It was an honest mistake. I take it you like the change though?" She asked him with a mischievous smile.

"You look very beautiful, although you always do."

"Well, let's hope Logan agrees."

"He doesn't know?"

"Nah, I had a hair appointment today and decided I needed a change. Wait, you said you were getting drinks for the table? Is everyone here?"

"Logan just arrived, oh my god, I told him I was coming to get drinks and then I made a leering comment about you, before I knew it was you of course. Logan is going to kill me."

"No, he won't, but this will be fun." Rory smiled as she grabbed the drinks from the bartender. "Listen, I bet he still hasn't seen my face. He doesn't know about the hair change, so, I'm going to hide behind you and surprise me."

Finn groaned as he made his way back to the table with a devious Gilmore following behind. "Yep, I'm definitely getting my arse kicked for this one."

RL

At the table Colin joined Logan who had already ordered wings. "No Steph tonight?" Logan asked with raised eyebrows.

"When is there ever?"

"What is going on with you guys?" There had been more nights where Colin ended up at Finn's house, than there were where Colin was actually in his own penthouse. No one really made mention of it, but it had been almost a year of them fighting, not spending any time together and Logan was surprised Colin hadn't said much.

"I don't know. I still have no answers at this point. Doubt I will for a while. Wouldn't count on her being a bridesmaid though." Colin just shrugged his shoulders, admittedly he was tired of the fighting, tired of the being kicked out, and just ready to move past this conversation. "So, have we heard from Finn? And wasn't Rory joining us this evening?"

"Rory should be on her way, and Finn is up at the bar, however there was an attractive red head he saw so who knows if we lost him for the night." Just as he said that Colin looked up to see Finn headed back.

"Struck out with the red head, huh?"

"Turns out she was already engaged, she did say one night with a real man wouldn't hurt, and the fiancé would never have to know." Finn wiggled his eyebrows as Rory slapped his shoulder from behind.

"I never said anything of the sort." Just then Rory appeared from behind Finn and Logan was startled at her voice first and then her appearance. He sat there just staring at her for a few moments.

"Well, I'll be damned. Nice look there Gilmore." Colin spoke up as he grabbed his glass from Finn. Both men were staring at Logan who didn't tear his eyes from Rory.

The longer he stared the more she got nervous. He hadn't said anything and suddenly she was feeling incredibly self-conscious. She started tugging on her hair as she just watched him. Finally, Colin cleared his throat with a barely hidden laugh, breaking Logan from his stupor.

"Jesus babe, you look amazing. Different, and I wasn't expecting it, but amazing. I haven't seen your hair this short since back in college."

"I just wanted something different, I guess. It's been a long week, plus I thought it would be something fun for the wedding."

"Well, I think it looks brilliant love." Finn piped in from across the table. "But, are you ever going to sit down?"

"Oh, yes, sorry." With that she sat next to Logan, who just like he always did when she sat next to him started playing with her hair through his fingers. They all settled in to a conversation and when Colin and Finn were distracted Logan leaned over.

"You look unbelievable. But, is the dye okay for the baby?"

"It is, I talked to my hairdresser, plus I put a call in to my doctor. All is safe, the baby is safe. Which, speaking of the baby, we have an appointment tomorrow."

"I remember, it's on my calendar. I have a conference call right before, but I can meet you there, if you'd like?"

"Of course." With that Rory gave him a small kiss that was interrupted when Colin's cell phone rang. The whole table watched his face contort as he picked it up.

"It's Thursday night." He answered the person on the phone. "Well, I didn't think you'd care." Another pause. "I mean, yeah it's not a problem, let me just pay and then I'll be home." Logan waved his friend off and mouthed an 'I've got it.' To Colin who was now gathering his belongings and heading out the door. "I'm leaving now."

Once he was out the door Finn just rolled his eyes and took a drink. "This is why I'll never get married. It never works."

"You realize you're sitting across from two people who are getting married in a month, correct?"

"Yes, and one of you almost went home with an exotic lover tonight. See, marriage is just a mess." He winked at the two that were sitting across from him.

"You know, if we leave him here and head home, we can make him cover our bill and Colin's bill." Rory stage whispered to Logan.

"You have an evil woman here mate."

"That I do, and since she's corrupted me I think I'm going to take her up on her offer and I will see you next week, maybe don't hit on my fiancé next time." He grabbed his jacket from his chair and grabbed Rory's as well, helping her into it. "Ready to go babe?"

"Let's go Mr. Huntzberger. Good night Finn."

RLRL

"So, we get married in a month." Rory spoke as they entered their home. Logan dropped his keys and his wallet on the desk that sat in the kitchen as Rory set her purse down next to it, along with her computer bag. "Aw, man, I should probably work tonight." She groaned as she went to pick it back up."

"Don't worry about work tonight." He told her as he grabbed her bag from off of her shoulder and set it back down. "And you're right, we do get married in a month. You excited, scared, getting cold feet?"

"Even if my feet were icicles, there's this whole baby thing that I've got going on, so even if I wanted to be rid of you, I'm kind of stuck anyway."

"Oh, stuck huh? Is that how you see this?"

"Well, yeah of course." She stuck her tongue out at him as he leaned down to kiss her before he went around to lock up the house.

"Well, thank goodness I trapped you huh?" He smirked as he said it causing her to roll her eyes as she went to the kitchen to get their waters for the evening.

"Hey, do you think you'll want sweet or salty tonight?" She asked as he was checking the back door.

"Um." It took him a minute to think about it before she waved him off.

"Never mind, I'll grab both." She smiled at him as she they started to make their way upstairs. Once they got to the master bedroom Rory set her water on her side, his water on his side, and set a small bag of pretzels and a mini candy bar next to the water. After she did that she went to the bathroom where he was getting ready for bed and she started getting ready in the sink next to him. As he finished up soon after he looked over at her and kept smiling. As she got done wiping her make up off for the day, she finally turned to him and gave him an inquisitive look.

"What are you looking at?"

"You." He stated simply and she smiled and blushed, but the cheesiness made her roll her eyes. "Oh, don't do that. You look beautiful, and I just watch how we have our routine and you take care of me in ways people haven't before."

"Well, after that new move we did the other night, I hope no one has taken care of you quite like that." She smirked as she lightly kicked his leg.

"Get your mind out of the gutter Gilmore. I meant, you just anticipate things I won't I need. You don't want me to have to worry about going all the way downstairs in the middle of the night, and you know I won't use the elevator because the ding might wake you up. So, you always make sure I have something ready, just in case. You somehow know where half of my documents are and are prepared to tell me. You know just small things about me that most don't pick up on."

"Well, Lo, I live with you. It comes with the territory." She brushed off, trying to hide the smile that came to her face.

"But it doesn't have to come with the territory. You don't have to do those things for me, you just do. I'm just thankful for it. For you. It would be easy to just let me walk down the stairs, or starve, or leave me to find my own documents but you take care of me. It's nice."

"Okay, well on that same vein, you could take the elevator, but you don't want to disturb me. You lock the house up, and check it multiple times, including the security system because you know I'll panic about it. You make time to come to each appointment. Don't sell yourself short Huntzberger, it's unbecoming." She smiled at him as she started to leave the bathroom. "Now come on, let's head to bed."

"Ah, yes, I get to go to bed with a red head tonight, maybe I should see if there was a method to Finn's madness all these years."

"Oh, for god's sakes, get in bed Logan."

"See, feistier already."

RLRLRL

"Well, that was successful." Rory stated as they walked out of the doctor's office.

"We got to see the baby again! Plus, we got a few new pictures." Logan said as he followed her, while turning his phone back on as they walked out. Suddenly the phone was lighting up and dinging madly. Both Rory and Logan looked at it in concern as they got into their car that was waiting for them.

"I'm really sorry, I have to call my dad." She waved her hand as a way to say don't worry about it as he was dialing the number. "Dad, it's Logan, what is going on?"

" _We need you to head to London for a week. There seems to be an issue with an advertiser that you had brought in a bit before you left, and they will only work with you."_

"That's not really a possibility as Rory and I are heading to Connecticut this weekend to work on wedding details."

" _I understand son, but I need you there by Sunday evening at the latest. Come down to Connecticut tonight or tomorrow, work on things Saturday and I can have you on the jet by tomorrow night. Will Rory be joining you?"_

Logan looked over at Rory who had been listening to the whole of the conversation due to the loud nature of Mitchum's voice. She gently shook her head no and sent him an apologetic look. "No, Dad, she won't be. She has a lot of work back at home, plus the baby is already exhausting her as it is. I don't think the jet lag will help."

" _I understand, I'll talk to you tomorrow Logan. Be safe coming in. Tell Rory I said hello."_ And, with that the phone went dead. Logan looked over at Rory with the same apologetic look as before.

"Don't say anything, it's fine. You have to do what you have to do. I'm sorry I can't come with you, but I can't. I mean I could work from the London office, but I can't just ask for special treatment because of who I'm with. Plus, you're right about the jet lag. I'd be completely useless to everyone if I went."

"I know, it won't stop me from missing you though."

"It damn well shouldn't." She smiled at him as she snuggled herself into his chest. "Should we grab our bags and just head down this evening? I mean, we can take the car service, and I'm sure the Dragonfly will have the room. Plus, it means we can focus on the wedding details tomorrow and not battling traffic for half the day."

"I think that is a great idea. Text your mom, let her know." He still looked upset about something, so she ran her hand along his arm.

"What's wrong babe?"

"I just wish it wasn't sprung on us. My dad is usually good about giving me a head's up and I'm just not looking forward to going all the way back to London. These advertisers, they're good, and they bring in a fair amount of money. It just seems ridiculous that they only want to meet with me."

"Well, you can be charming, and fun, but also incredibly smart and you know what you're talking about. You make it easy to trust you, it makes sense if they're in a meeting with someone that they don't fully trust that they may not want to keep working with them. It may just be a gut thing."

"A gut thing?"

"Yeah, I had it with you from the second time we met again. That night of the party? I just felt at ease around you. They probably just feel that too. Take it as a compliment until they tell you otherwise."

"I will definitely keep that in mind. Thank you." Just then Rory's phone beeped, and she looked down.

"Yep, the room is all set, we can go whenever we are ready." She started fidgeting a bit as she looked down. "Hey Logan, I don't need to worry about your mom trying to send Cassandra in again, do I? I mean, I know I don't have to worry about anything on your end. I trust you implicitly. I just, she just wouldn't do anything now, would see. With the baby and everything, right?"

"She's a moron, but hopefully she isn't that stupid. Plus, dad probably won't say a word to her about where I'm going. Hell, he barely tells her where he is going. You don't have to worry a thing about that. Even if she's there, that ship has long since sailed."

"I know."

"And, furthermore, if a stunt like that was pulled then I'd immediately have her taken off the guest list. Which would be a huge pro to me anyway, so either way I win." He watched her glare at him and he couldn't help but smile. Riling her up had always been one of his favorite things to do, he looked down at the picture in her hand. "So, who do you think they look more like?"

"Well, it's still a blob Logan and if we're going by that look, then it looks like when Finn is passed out on our couch after poker night."

"Is there something you need to tell me Ace?"

"Yes, you need to set a cut off for Finn." Rory deadpanned, and Logan couldn't help the bark of laughter.

"Fair point. Well, fine, but I think she'll look like you."

"I'm not having this argument again. But we do need to discuss the wedding. You're still good with the Dragonfly garden being the scene of the crime, right?"

"Did you just call our wedding a crime?" He asked with a small twinkle to his voice.

"Yes, do you know how many people would've killed me for taking Logan Huntzberger off the market? It's like I'm stealing you."

"You're the most ridiculous person I've ever met. First of all, I've been off the market since that first night we got together. Second of all, I think the Dragonfly garden is the perfect setting for the greatest day of your life."

"Oh, so it's not going to be the greatest day of your life?" Rory asked him with a raised eyebrow.

"No, the day Colin cried when Finn took him for 50k in poker was the greatest day, but if it makes you feel any better, this will be a very close second." He smirked at her as they pulled up to their house.

"You know, maybe I should you send you back to the dating pool, I'm not sure your worth taking off the market." She told him as they entered the house to pack.


	21. Chapter 21

**AATT 21**

"Okay, we have the menu picked out, and so help me god if your pregnant taste buds change the menu again, I will take you out and Sookie and Logan will help me hide the body. We have the flowers picked out and paid for, you've found your dress, invitations are sent out. RSVPs should be in within the week, now I know we discussed something about the wedding party?" Lorelai spouted off as she was preparing the bed at the Dragonfly Inn. Rory was still staying there even though Logan had left earlier in the day, and they decided to have a girl's night at the Dragonfly. As her mom set the final box of malomars down onto the comforter Rory settled in on the bed too.

"Yeah, Steph isn't going to be in the bridal party." Rory gossiped as she dug into the Ben and Jerry's sitting in front of her.

"Woah. What happened there?"

"I don't know, Colin told Logan not to plan on her being in, he hasn't been sleeping at their house in almost the whole time since I've been seeing Logan. It's all weird. But now it's just all a mess." Rory shrugged her shoulders. Quite frankly, she didn't understand that dynamic and she knew that Logan didn't want to pry, even if most of Rory did want answers.

"So, who is it going to be up at the altar? Still Logan?" Lorelai asked with a smile on her face as she opened up the cookies that were next to her.

"Nah, I figured I'd swap him out for Finn, really throw off the whole wedding."

"Well, at least you know how to keep everyone on their toes." As she looked around the bed she looked back up at Rory. "Hey babe, why does it feel like we're wallowing?"

Rory looked around ashamed, admittedly she had been the one that had provided the food spread for the evening and it was excessive, even by their standards. "I just… I miss him mom." Rory almost pouted as she said it. "I know he didn't ship off to 'Nam. I know he's just on another business trip, it's something we've been through before but nothing since we found out about the baby. Maybe I'm just being selfish, but I'm just used to having him around and it was weird finalizing some of the wedding things without him. I know he doesn't care about any of it, but it still would've been nice to have him around."

"Can I say something you may not want to hear, but hopefully the ending will redeem itself?"

"Well, I'm pregnant, so tread carefully." Rory warned, holding the ice cream pint close to her chest almost as a shield.

"I will try my best. When you guys started, I told you that you didn't have to rush things, and honestly, for a while I think you were rushing things. Now, I never said anything because you're an adult and you were and are happy, but I was worried kid. I mean one minute you're happily married, the next you're getting divorced, a few months later you're dating some guy who also happens to be your boss and then before I know it you guys are exchanging keys and getting engaged and then babies and houses and I was so scared for you. But I'm sitting here and I'm remembering back during your marriage to Jameson and you would spend whole weekends here without a second thought. Checking your phone for work emails, not for flirty text messages, and it's just a whole new Rory. I was really scared for you, but I am happy for you, I was then, and I am even more now. I'm just… I'm glad you guys found each other and I'm sorry for any doubts I may have had." Lorelai finished quietly, she was looking at the cookies as she grabbed one out before she heard Rory start to sniffle. "Rory? You okay hon?"

"Damn it, mom, you made the pregnant woman cry."

RLRLRLRL

 _To: Logan_

" _How is the London skyline?"_

 _To: Rory_

" _Gray, drab, rainy."_

 _To: Logan_

" _Aw, come on. You're in London. You loved it there!"_

 _To: Rory_

" _Loved being the key word. It's just… it's not the same anymore. I miss you guys. How was the wedding planning?"_

 _To: Logan_

" _If I change the menu again, I'm sleeping with the fishes and according to Sal Tessio, you'll be the one providing the cement for my feet."_

Logan was sitting at the airstrip waiting to take off for home when he read that, and he couldn't help but laugh. He missed so much about her, it's why he was heading home early to surprise her. He had been working around the clock with this advertiser. It turned out she had been right, they just liked working with Logan and wanted to make sure he was still going to be handling their account. It wasn't really worth the flight over and the time away but his dad was happy and he did get to reconnect with a few old friends that weren't connected to Cassandra's group.

 _To: Rory_

" _Maybe not that drastic, but I do like the menu as we have it now."_

 _To: Logan_

" _The amount of people who are trying to tell me not to pick food for my own wedding is becoming dangerous. You all do realize I'm not only the bride, I'm also carrying a whole, living being. You all should be nicer to me. Not only a whole baby, but also a potential heir to your lineage. Why are you so mean Logan, why? Why?"_

 _To: Rory_

" _I'm happy to see your flair for the dramatic is still alive and well, I miss it."_

 _To: Logan_

" _Suck up."_

 _To: Rory_

" _Always so eloquent. I'm serious Ace. I miss you."_

 _To: Logan_

" _I miss you too, handsome. Still heading home on Saturday?"_

Logan cringed at the fact that he was lying, but it was a good lie, like chaotic good, right?

 _To: Rory_

" _Yeah, if I'm going to get up for tomorrow's meeting I should probably head to bed. I miss you, I love you. Be safe."_

 _To: Logan_

" _Say hi to William and Harry for me."_

 **RLRLRLRLRL**

Rory was laying in her bed at their house, it had been 4 days since she had dropped Logan off at the airport and she couldn't get comfortable no matter what she tried, the fact that it was in the middle of the night wasn't helping matters either. She couldn't get comfortable, if you asked the romantic in her why she couldn't sleep, it was because the room suddenly felt so much larger now that Logan was gone, even though their house was obviously much bigger, it was still their home, so it didn't feel quite as empty as this room did without Logan. However, if you asked the logical part of her, the realist in her, then it the reason for her current insomnia would be because of the sharp pain in her abdomen.

She wanted to get up, walk to the mini fridge and get a bottle of water out, but as it stood, she couldn't move. Instead, she was for all intents and purposes, immobile. It was at this moment that she realized how much Logan did for her, she knew that if he were here, she wouldn't have lifted a finger. Hell, it was because of his constant taking care of her that she had a mini fridge in their master bedroom in the first place. But now, he was an ocean away, and sleeping, or getting ready to wake up and face another day, while she stayed holed up in their house, unable to get comfortable. It didn't help that she had already had to work from home 2 days so far this week because of the morning sickness and she was sure that if the pain didn't lessen, she would be working from home tomorrow too, she was suddenly very thankful for telecommuting now.

Just as thought occurred to her the pain worsened and she was now doubled over in pain, it took the wind out of her and she couldn't help the scream that escaped her lips. Without thinking she reached over to the nightstand and called Logan, when the call went straight to voicemail, she groaned out again, quickly dialing her mother's number in place of Logan's. She wasn't thinking about the time or waking up Paul Anka who would probably wake up Luke way to early, or late, right now she just needed her mom and she didn't care who knew it. After 4 rings she was about to give up when her mother's voice came through the speaker. "Die." Without the ability to form many words Rory just screamed out in pain at her mother's greeting. "Oh my god! Rory?! I didn't mean that literally. What is going on? Rory? Rory, answer me!"

"Pain, mom it hurts so bad." She barely breathed out before screaming again.

"Okay, it will be okay. Hang up with me and call 911. Logan is still gone, right?"

"Yeah, I tried calling, AHHHH, it went straight to voicemail."

"I'm coming up, I'll meet you at the hospital. Just let me know when you get checked in."

"Thank you, mom." Rory breathed out as a new pain hit her before she hung up the phone and made her way downstairs, forgoing the 911 call and making her way to the New York streets below where she hailed a cab and asked them to take her Mount Sinai.

RLRL

Logan had left London at midnight, which put him back in New York at 2:30 in the morning. His whole body ached, his mind was exhausted and as he dozed off in the back of the town car that was taking him back to Rory and their house it never even clicked for him to turn on his cell phone which had been powered down for the flight. As he trudged came into the house quietly, he didn't even bother trying to lug his suitcase up the stairs, he would deal with those in the morning. He made his way up the stairs and to their master bedroom but before he climbed into bed, he noticed the lack of Rory in the bed or in the master bathroom. Quickly turning on his phone he saw an influx of voicemails and text messages come pouring in.

The last time his phone had lit up this much after turning it off for quite a bit he was pressured to go to London, he felt like this time, however, it was something much worse than that. As he listened to the first voicemail, he heard Rory's voice, but it didn't sound like the voice he was used to. "Logan, owwww, Logan, I don't want to scare you but I'm heading to the hospital. Ahhhh. I've been having really bad pains in my stomach, I can't sleep, I know you have a busy day but please check in if you can."

The next voicemail came from Lorelai. "Hey kid, I'm on my way to meet Rory, it looks like she hailed a cab to Mt. Sinai, seriously are you New Yorkers too good for just an old-fashioned ambulance? I'll keep you updated." There were a few more from Lorelai, and a few text messages from Rory.

 _To: Logan_

" _Sorry to freak you out earlier, I'm sure all is fine here. Have a great meeting."_

"HAVE A GREAT MEETING?! Are you serious?" He bellowed as he sprinted down the stairs with a new fire in his step as he barreled out the door and into a cab. For a minute, as he sat in the back, he laughed at Lorelai's comment about the fact that Rory had hailed a cab as well. He wasn't sure if he should check in, but as he was typing the message, he discovered they were pulling up to the hospital as it was, so he decided to just hop out and barge his way into the hospital as it was anyway.

When he finally found her room number he quickly weaved through the hospital, thankful for the quietness that 3:45 in the morning at a hospital provided, he had thrown his name around just to even be allowed in at this time and he wasn't about to let the slowness of the elevators stop him from getting to her. When he finally made his way into the room his whole body went cold as he saw her laying on the hospital bed with an IV on her arm. He saw Lorelai in the corner chair passed out with a trashy magazine in her lap. As he made his way over to her, he sat on her bed, careful not to touch the IV cord.

When she felt the bed move Rory opened her eyes, prepared for the nurse to take vitals again. Instead she saw the warm, brown eyes of her fiancé and she couldn't help but smile and launch herself into his arms. "Oh, you're here! You're actually here!? Wait, what about London, how did you get here so quickly?"

"Well, I had come to surprise you, I got to come home early and then I come home to find our bed empty and voicemails that you're in the hospital. Is everything okay? Is the baby okay?" Logan asked in one breath as he looked her over. She was smiling, she was happy to see him, that had to be a good thing, right?

"Did you know you look like a cheeseburger? Oh, or a steak." Rory asked with big eyes as she looked him over.

"I'm sorry, what? Ace, are you and the baby okay?" Logan asked again, somewhere between amused and annoyed at her sense of distractedness. Suddenly, he heard another voice from the corner.

"Logan? Logan, what are you doing here?"

"Mom, doesn't he look like a steak?" Rory asked again as she slightly ran her hand across Logan's face in a petting gesture.

"Please stop creepily flirting with him while I'm right here." Lorelai said with a laugh as she watched Rory.

"Will someone please tell me what is wrong with my fiancée and child?!" Logan's voice was raised, but he was trying to tame it, so he didn't wake anyone else up on the floor. "And why does she keep comparing me to a piece of meat?"

"Well, because handsome, you're my piece of—"

"Okay, no more talking from you." Lorelai quickly interrupted her which caused Rory to pout and cross her arms over her chest, Logan couldn't help but give her a confused look. "She called me in a ton of pain. She had been having tons of pain in her abdomen."

"Did you know I have abs? See, they're right here." Rory spoke again, poking at her stomach, causing Lorelai to roll her eyes and Logan to laugh out loud despite his confusion at the situation.

"Anyway, she gets here, and they check her in, they do an ultrasound, the baby is okay." Logan let out a huge breath as she said that.

"Finally, someone has some answers. So, what is with the loopiness, the still being here, and what was the pain?"

"Oh, this is a good one. Can I tell the story?" Rory asked as she bounced on the bed for a minute.

"No. Do you even know your name right now?" Lorelai pointedly asked. "Anyway, it turned out she just had really bad bloating, but the morning sickness was pretty bad, so she is getting fluids. The loopiness? That would be the Ambien to help her sleep."

"Ambien? This is the work of Ambien?" Logan asked, laughing, as Rory was now laying back down and sleeping.

"That it is, she is going to be hearing about this for a long time." Lorelai commented with a smirk. "I have videos from earlier, I'll send them to you. I'll refrain from sending you the ones where she tried to serenade the IV bag."

"I will be forever in your debt for that."

"I'm going to head home, since you're here. If that's okay?" Lorelai asked as she started to get her things ready to go, not wanting to make the trek back to Stars Hollow but knowing she could still make it in time to get Will on the bus.

"No, not at all, have a safe drive home and thank you for being with her tonight. It means a lot."

"It's what a parent does, you'll see soon." Lorelai added with a sincere smile before leaving.


	22. The Bachelor Party

**AATT- The Bachelor Party**

 **A/N: Okay, I love a good flashback, So This Is How It Starts has a few and as I'm rereading Friends Forever for research, I realized there's a few in there as well, and this one now does. I hope you all enjoy them. Also, Happy New Year! Maybe this year I'll actually send in the book proposals I have.**

 _It had been a week of traveling, and the week before that it was being swamped at work with no reprieve. Logan had been feeling awful, wanting to make contact with Rory but knowing that it would be completely useless. He had been barely able to respond to emails, let alone engage in mild Facebook flirting, but as he sat on the plane taking him back to New York, back to his new home, he couldn't help but type her name in the little blue search bar. She had barely posted anything over the last week, with the exception of one status. "If no one hears from me until Monday morning, don't be surprised, it just means that my body has slipped into a coma out of sheer exhaustion."_

 _Somehow, it made him a feel a bit better, not that he expected her to pine for him after a great kiss and nothing else, but it means that his lack of communication wasn't seen as rude but as a welcome lack of distraction. But then he saw the profile picture she had displayed, it was a simple snap of her and her brother, both with genuine smiles on their faces and ice cream on their noses and he realized that he didn't want to just go home and sleep off this horrific week, he wanted to see her again. To be around her, he had been thinking of her the past two weeks, even if he couldn't reach out to her it didn't stop him from missing her. A concept that admittedly was something he hadn't felt in a while, especially not for someone he was just get reacquainted with. Sure, he knew her at Yale, knew that she was smart as hell, funny, beautiful and a million other positive adjectives. But she was also taken, didn't particularly seem to like his kind, at least not initially and they definitely weren't each other's type. Even now, their histories were different, but Logan wasn't going to let this opportunity go. He couldn't, he didn't really feel like he made a mistake by not going after her at Yale, even when so much of him wanted to, maybe they would have had something great, but now, they were settled into their lives, they were happy, and another date seemed like an excellent opportunity to figure out where else it could go. He debated just messaging her again, flirting to try to win a date but where was the fun in that? Plus, admittedly he was nervous, and he was hoping that by showing up she would let him whisk her away._

Logan was brought out of his reminiscing by the sound of his friends shouts throughout his house, he had been sitting in his office looking over the schedule for the next few weeks, this week he had to tie up all the loose ends at his office before the weekend where he would marry the girl that just a year ago he had been nervous to send a message to for fear of rejection. Before he got to lost in his thoughts again his friends came barreling in. "My dear man, are you ready?" Finn asked as he fell into one of the leather-bound chairs that were set up in the office.

"Ready for what? And if you say anything, I'm going to roll my eyes and kick you out and I'm also now wondering how you got into my home in the first place." Just then there was a groan heard from the living room. "Finn, what was that?"

"That is what I'm asking if you're ready for!" Just then Finn jumped off the chair he was sitting on and Logan followed him down the stairs to find a disheveled Colin sitting on his couch. "Ta-da! I present to you a fully single Colin!"

Logan took in his buddy, who didn't appear drunk but definitely wasn't sober either. "Colin, what happened?"

"She just pulled the plug man. I don't know what happened, I came home, ready to talk about everything. She had a bag packed so I thought I was going to be at Finn's again. She said I should just make it a permanent address change. It's fine. I'm fine. But, since I am now officially single, I would like a night out with my merry men, we can consider it a bachelor party."

"We had the bachelor party last weekend, you were there, drunk, but there." Logan pointed out as he sat next to Colin with Finn on the other side.

"Ah yes but see this would be my 'Welcome-Bachelorhood-Party.' It's like a bachelor party but I get to touch the strippers." Colin pointed right back to him.

"Well that just rolls off the tongue, and you're still not allowed to touch the strippers." Logan was about to argue more when the door slammed open and then a voice rang out.

"Oh my god, today was stressful, I'm exhausted and hormonal and the only thing that will make it better is if you take your pants off." Rory shouted as she grabbed a water bottle out of the refrigerator and made her way into the living room where a smirking Colin, Finn and Logan all sat.

"Well Love, I've been waiting for you to ask, now would you like it slow and sensual or just quick and dirty?" Finn asked Rory before he turned his attention to Logan. "If this is how you're greeted every evening, I would've put a ring on it too."

As Rory took in the scene, she fought back every urge to blush as she saw the three men sprawled across her ottoman. "Oh, if you think that's something, just imagine what I do when his pants are actually off." She watched as Colin choked down his drink, Logan smiled at her and Finn glared at Logan mumbling something about being a lucky bastard before Rory spoke up again. "Now, where are you three headed?"

"Well, it seems like Huntzberger isn't heading anywhere as someone has needs to attend to."

"Oh, I'll let him go, I'm sure I can find something to do with my hands." She winked at Logan. "Now get out of here." As all three men stood to leave Logan lagged behind and pulled Rory into his arms.

"Sorry about them Ace, I know we have a lot to do with the wedding."

She waved him off. "The wedding is under the careful eye of Lorelai since we couldn't get away anyway. There is nothing you or I need to do, I mean granted I wanted you home but they're for selfish reasons. Let the boys have a night out with you, poor Finn, going to be the last single men of the three of you."

"Well, actually, that's why we're going out. Colin is now officially on the market."

"Woah, she finally pulled the plug? Poor Colin and Steph." Rory felt bad overall for the both of them, but her loyalty mainly was with Colin. This was a man she had been close to in college and was now one of her best friends, practically brother and she knew he had wanted this marriage to work. She kissed Logan quickly before pushing him out the door. "Go, be a best friend. I'll see you later tonight, and then we have half days tomorrow and then we make our way to Hartford and the Dragonfly and oh my god I'm exhausted just talking about it." She smiled at him.

"Yes, but I'm worth it. Be good, stay safe, I love you." He kissed her one last time before meeting Finn and Colin on his doorstep.

RLRLRLRL

"I am free!" Colin screamed as they left the bar after eleven. Logan had somehow convinced Finn to tame his drinking tonight as they watched over Colin, a very inebriated Colin. "Do you hear me New York? I don't have to pretend that marriage means anything! I don't have to pretend like I made the right decision in marrying her all those years ago!"

"I'm pretty sure New Jersey hears you buddy. And don't say that, you love Steph, you know that, and I do too. You're just drunk, and heavy." Logan put more strength into hoisting his friend up on his shoulder while Finn took the other side.

"Yeah, but apparently it wasn't enough, no, apparently love is a fallacy and it's one I bought into for reasons I cannot explain. I mean, sure she was great and wonderful, hell, she still is. But no, I'm just not enough." Colin's head fell onto Logan's shoulder. "Don't do it Logan. Don't go through with it, man. It's not worth it."

"Well, we know which one of us will not be giving the best man toast on Saturday." Finn said over Colin's now sleeping body as they got themselves into a cab on the way back to Finn, and now Colin's apartment. "You okay there, buddy?"

"Am I making a mistake Finn?" Logan asked, he didn't think he was, hell this was Rory. The girl that just earlier this evening he was remembering how thankful he was for a second chance of getting to know her, but now he was watching his best friend collapse into a pile in the back of a cab over a heartbreak that 5 years ago no one would expect.

"Dear God, no! Logan, don't do this to yourself, don't do this to Rory more importantly, or, the cherry on top of all of this, the baby. Logan, come on. You guys had a whirlwind romance, but it's right. None of us are going to understand what happened between Colin and Steph, hell I don't know if Colin knows what happens. But they're not you guys, don't let Colin's drunken ramblings stop you from marrying that girl come Saturday."

When Logan heard the words Rory and Baby everything snapped back into place, the rest of Finn's speech wasn't even needed after that. Of course, it wasn't a mistake, they weren't a mistake, and the baby, while a happy accident wasn't a mistake. The rest of the car ride was silent, once they got Colin into his bed at Finn's, Logan quickly made his way back to his home, as he entered the home, he saw a note sitting on the kitchen counter. _"Just lock the door you came into, everything else is taken care of."_

As he made his way up the stairs and into his room, he looked at Rory who was curled into the fetal position on her side of the bed. Right past the nightstand next to her was a window that overlooked the New York City streets where a soft snow was falling. He couldn't help himself as he crouched down next to her and kissed her forehead before he saw the tears that had dried on her face, when he tried to wipe them away, she woke up. "Hey babe, how are you? I'm sorry I fell asleep."

"It's okay, but what is with the water works?"

"Nothing, it's stupid."

"No, what is it?"

"Well, it's just that is it hard for you, to see your best friend's marriage end as yours is supposed to begin?" He watched her as she seemed to crawl into herself, getting smaller and smaller with every word. He wanted to lie to her, tell her he wasn't worried at all, that it didn't affect him, that the only change is that Colin wasn't allowed to give the toast, but he before he knew it he was saying things he probably shouldn't have.

"Admittedly, I had a moment of panic, I got scared I was going to end up like Colin, drunk and heartbroken but I couldn't imagine not being with you, or the baby, I had a few moments of a freak out, I can admit to that and I'm really sorry I did Ace. I know I should have talked to you about it, but it was as we were getting Colin home and you would have been asleep anyway." He was rushing it out, trying to make her see that while he had a moment of weakness, he wanted her, needed her. "I just got scared, scared of how broken I'd be without you in my life if something did happen like it did to Colin tonight."

She finally kissed him, trying to silence his fears and rambling. "Logan, I had the same freak out, just a bit after you had left actually. I almost called you back home, I'm glad you were there for Colin but the thought of losing you, the thought of not having you around, or what would happen if we did get to that place scared me. I'm not mad you had those same fears Logan." With those final words Logan crawled into bed next to her, pushing her away from her side and pushing her to the middle as he held her and sank himself into the mattress and into the comfort of knowing that within 4 days she would be his wife.


	23. The Wedding

**AATT- The Wedding**

Rory stared at herself in the mirror of her childhood home, she ran her hands over the small bump that had just made itself known this week, barely there, hardly noticeable to even those looking but it had been noticeable to her. She looked around her room as she remembered so many small moments in her life, before her eyes finally landed on the dress that she would have to put on in the next few minutes. It was simple, elegant, a vintage A-Line wedding dress with lace sleeves, covered in a blush lace that slightly flared at the bottom. There was only a small hat with a veil that was sitting on top of her head, accompanied by a low bun and soft curls around her face. Her makeup was natural, unassuming and simple. She had wanted simple, quiet, and understated for the day. It wasn't because it was her second wedding, even if Lorelai swore that had a part in it, but for Rory it was the fact that at the root of things her and Logan were simple in the best way. Everything about them, from that first night in her apartment felt easy, content, and simple. They fit, in a quiet, unassuming way that she had never found before. He provided her with a sense of adventure, sure, but it was always underlined with a sense of security.

Rory took a deep breath as she slid the dress on, even with the seemingly tight fit it didn't accentuate her bump. Just as she was getting ready to exit there was a knock on her door and her mom entered a few minutes later. "Wow, someone hit you with the pretty stick." Lorelai spoke, trying to fight back the tears that were coming. "I don't know why I'm crying, it's not like we haven't been through this before."

"Yes, please remind me of my other marriage."

"On this, the day of my daughter's wedding." Lorelai spoke in a horrible accent, breaking some of the tension in the room.

"Wow, finally used that in an appropriate setting, I'm impressed."

"So, you really going to do this again kid?" Lorelai asked her with a small smile and a joking tone.

"Get married to a man I love whole heartedly? Yes, I think I will." There was no hesitation in her voice as she spoke, but a strong sense of conviction that left no room for doubt. With Jameson there had been no doubts, she really did thing they were a good match, but with this there wasn't just any doubts, there was a strong sense of complete undeniability that this was it.

"Okay, but just remember at your third wedding try to marry someone in the entertainment industry, maybe I can sign you up for the bachelor with that one, and instead of falling in love with the suitor you'll fall in love with Chris Harrison. Wouldn't that be a plot twist?"

"One, there won't be a third wedding, I'm not Elizabeth Taylor, or Ms. Patty for that matter. And two, why does Luke still allow you to have control over the remote?"

"He works late on Monday nights and Paul Anka and I like to get wine drunk after your brother goes to bed." Just as Rory was about to speak up there was another knock on the door and Emily walked in and gasped as she saw Rory in her dress.

"Oh, Ms. Celine really can make a dress." She said with her hands over her chest.

"And boy can I make the girl in it." Lorelai retorted raising her eyebrows in Rory's direction. "Mom, do you think maybe instead of complimenting the dress, maybe this time try again with a compliment for the actual bride?"

"Lorelai stop it, I was just getting to that."

"One would have thought you would have started there, but okay." Rory quickly shushed her mom and turned to her grandma.

"I knew what you meant grandma and thank you very much." Just then her phone chimed with an alarm that she had set. The words "Wedding! Now!" Flashed across her screen and Lorelai saw.

"You had to set a reminder for your wedding? What, you just wanted to make sure that you didn't forget and stand him up at the altar?"

"No, it's not like that. I just wanted to make sure I got there in time."

"Are you so sure this is a good idea if you aren't even sure you're going to remember the time of your wedding?" Lorelai couldn't help the smile on her face as she followed her daughter and mother out of her daughter's old room. She looked around at the room that she had watched her daughter grow up in and now her son had taken over. She heard her mother nagging her to get a move on, so she took one last look around before closing the door behind her.

RLRL

"Finn, I never thought I'd say this but please watch Colin's liquor intake today. I know he's upset and normally I would have suggested an impromptu Vegas trip for all of us, but we couldn't this weekend and I obviously can't babysit him so please just make sure he's okay."

"Will do mate. You ready for this?" Finn asked as he adjusted his own tie and looked over at Logan.

"I can't even begin to describe to you how wholly unprepared I feel right now but in a good way." There was more Logan wanted to say but they were being ushered down to the Dragonfly's gardens where the ceremony would take place. Logan had never been more thankful for space heaters in his life as he looked out at the snow that had started to blanket the grounds, but it was beautiful, the snow lending itself well to the deep blue and silver colors that Rory had picked out.

RLRL

He stood at the altar as she walked down, and he was suddenly incredibly thankful that he had taken the time to look around at the décor before the wedding march played because he was positive, he wouldn't be able to look anywhere else for the entire rest of the evening. He couldn't help the grin that spread across his face as she glided down the pathway, held up by her dad and careful not to slip on any of the snow that had made its way onto the aisle. His grin only grew bigger as a small snowflake landed itself on her nose and he watched her try to delicately scrunch up her nose as it tickled her.

She turned the corner onto the pathway and gripped her dad's arm tighter as she wasn't prepared for what was waiting for her at the end of the aisle. She had seen him in a tux, the first night they reconnected, the jump at the Life and Death Brigade event, and numerous other functions but she hadn't prepared for this, this moment of seeing him waiting for her at the end of the aisle with the most genuine smile she had ever seen. It took every ounce of strength she had to ignore the weakening in her knees as he gripped her hands when she finally made it to the altar and before she could fully blink, it felt like, they were already at the vows.

"Rory Gilmore, I've taken a lot of chances in my life. I've base jumped and ran with bulls, and sky dived and bet more money than I ever should have in poker but years ago I ran away from a chance. I talked myself out of getting closer to you, of figuring out what the two of us could be and before I knew it, that chance was gone. I never thought I'd see the day where I would get that opportunity again, especially not at a fundraising event so many years later. I never expected that random run-in to turn into the greatest moment of my life, because that what finding you again was, Rory. It was the greatest moment of my life. I found you when I didn't expect to, when all I was interested in was focusing on work, you barreled in and shook everything up for the second time in my life. There was no way I could have let this chance slip by and every day I'm more and more thankful that I didn't. I love you Rory Gilmore."

Rory took a few minutes to calm the tears that had started before she spoke up. "Logan Huntzberger, so many things in my life have been predictable, planned out perfectly and executed well. But both times I met you, you came into my world and unapologetically turned it around. You've given me opportunities in life I'll never forget, you've given me a life I'll never be able to top, and you've shown me how to take chances while being protected. You've given me more than I could have ever hoped for myself and for that, and a million other reasons, I love you."

RLRL

They retreated to the bungalow for a few moments to breathe after photos and as the initial round of food was being passed around to their guests. Logan needed a moment alone with Rory and Rory needed a moment to rest and find her bearings before she went back out there. She ran her hand along the back of her neck and down to try to relieve some of the tension that had settled there. Her hand was quickly replaced by Logan's who was working on kneading out her shoulders as he kissed her neck from behind. "How are you feeling? How is the baby feeling?"

"We're both exhausted, heels were not the smartest move for today."

"Well, you look beautiful, but I bet you'll look just as beautiful in flats if you'd like."

"Do you think I could get away with slippers out there?"

"I think that I would kill to see the look on your grandma, and my mother's face if you did. In fact, I now am close to insisting on it." Logan twirled her around to face him and she couldn't help but smile at the sparkle in his eye as he thought about it. She reached her hand up to cup his cheek and he buried his head in it, kissing her palm. "This is real, right? We're here, we're married, we're going to have a kid, it's all real?"

"It's all real, I promise." She wrapped her other arm around him and pulled him close before burying her head in his chest. "It better be real for the amount of pain my feet are in." She spoke into his chest, trying to bring back the light heartedness. If she allowed to truly feel how happy she was, how in love and at peace she felt, she knew she would become a blubbering mess and they'd never leave the room, effectively ignoring the reception. "Now, come on. There's a cake we need to get to."

"You know, it wouldn't surprise me if you said yes to me just because it meant you'd get wedding cake."

"And you'll never know, it will be one of life's greatest mysteries." She smiled as she reached down for her grey Ugg slippers that luckily would be hidden by her dress.

RLRL

The party was winding down and Rory was all but falling asleep on Logan's shoulder when Finn walked up and sat down next to the newlyweds. "Good evening mate, narcoleptic girl." Earning a small laugh from Logan and a groan from a barely awake Rory. "How is she feeling?" Finn asked Logan.

"Spritely, energetic, real life of the party we have here." Logan deadpanned. "She's exhausted but she seems to be doing fine. How have things been with Colin?"

"He hasn't been overly obnoxious with his drinking, he's just hurting, you know?"

"Yeah, I get it. Thanks for being on the lookout today."

"So, want to tell me what is up with your mom in almost black? I'm sure the missus over there wasn't happy about that one." Finn asked Logan as they looked over the reception. It was something that Logan had chosen to ignore, and thankfully Rory hadn't noticed, or hadn't thought it was worth bringing up. Sure enough, his mom had shown up in a dark, dark grey, dress. When Logan had noticed he almost said something, but his father had sent him a look that communicated that it was beating a dead horse, so Logan let it drop, not wanting to cause a scene unless Rory was upset about it.

"She never brought it up, it's Shira, you know? She will say it's grey and that I'm making a big deal out of nothing and it wasn't worth bringing up and causing a scene if Rory wasn't to upset by it, which she didn't seem to be, so against my better judgement I just decided to let it go."

"Sounds like a plan mate, well I'm going to go upstairs and change if you don't mind since the elders aren't here and the tux isn't exactly my thing." Logan just nodded his agreement as he heard Rory's light snoring in his ear, he was about to jostle her awake and ask her if she was ready to hang up her dancing shoes for the evening when he heard someone grab the mic, when he saw who was on the stage he immediately groaned and started to try to find Lorelai to help with either Rory, or his best friend who had decided to take the stage, unfortunately her attention was focused on the stage.

"Now, I know the party is coming to a close, but I just want to raise a glass to Rory and Logan." Colin looked over to the wedding table where Logan's eyes had gone wide. "I never thought I'd see the day where my best friend would get married, but then again, I never thought I'd see the day that my wife would file for divorce, so, I guess there goes my future career as Ms. Cleo. I just want to say, to the bride and groom, congratulations and I hope that the blushing and drooling bride doesn't turn into a heartless bitch like mine did." Colin slurred as he raised his glass.

Logan looked over at Lorelai who was sending Luke up to help Colin off the stage with both of them sharing the same wide-eyed expression before she finally looked over to the wedding party table and she couldn't help the laughs that escaped her as she made her way over. "Did she seriously sleep through all of that?"

"Every inappropriate moment." Logan answered with the same laugh in his voice before he saw Finn come back into the fray of the evening. "Finn, help Colin to his room, please? We had a small incident." Finn saluted Logan and turned back around before Logan faced back to Lorelai. "I'm so sorry about that, his wife just asked for a divorce 3 nights ago. Honestly, the fact that he was here today was a true testament to what a good friend he is, but I had a feeling something like this was going to happen, I would have gotten him down soon but well," he gestured to a still snoring Rory on his shoulder. "Sleeping Beauty over here would've toppled over and I figured she'd forgiven a drunken toast that she wasn't even awake for versus being woken up by falling on the ground."

"Don't worry about it, Logan, seriously. I've given a few drunk toasts in my life, ask Rory about the one at Lane's wedding, this was nothing." She smiled at the couple. "But I do suggest you get her back to the honeymoon suite and into a comfy bed, otherwise she won't stop complaining about the crick in her neck."

Logan took her advice and picked Rory up enough to carry her back to their suite, the same bungalow they always had when they visited the Dragonfly, just as he laid her in the bed, he saw her slightly open her eyes. "I already love being your wife." Rory said it so softly he wasn't sure he heard her correctly before he kissed her forehead and laid down next to her.


	24. What Happened Last Night

**AATT- Chapter 24 What Happened Last Night?**

 **A/N: Fluffy as all heck chapter, short one too. But I wanted just some sweet for a minute, and hopefully some funny too.**

Rory walked out of the bathroom in the bungalow as she saw Logan finally stirring, his hand immediately going toward her side of the bed in search for her and when he felt it empty, he finally cracked open his eyes to see her standing at the doorway of the bathroom with a toothbrush in her mouth. "Good morning Ace."

"Morning babe, hey, what happened last night?" She asked with a full mouth of toothpaste before she realized her faux paus and went into the bathroom to rinse. When she came back Logan pulled her toward him and onto the bed.

"What do you mean what happened last night? We got married, you were there, signed the license and everything so you can't back out now." He said it cheekily but now he was really wondering just how out of it she was.

"Oh, so that explains the weird ring on my finger weighing me down for all eternity." She deadpanned as she snuggled herself into his chest and under the covers. "No, I meant why are your best friends texting me, Colin apologizing, and Finn asking how mad I am because Colin wants to know how much to apologize on apology chocolate. Now, last thing I remember, both were perfectly fine and had nothing to apologize for, but now I'm thinking I missed something." Logan groaned and threw his head down onto her shoulder, they just couldn't keep it quiet, could they? "Plus, my mom texted and also alluded to the fact that it was a good thing the fact that the bride was pregnant wasn't the most scandalous thing at the wedding."

 _Okay, well at least my friends weren't the only inappropriate ones._ Logan thought as he kissed her shoulder and proceeded to start to explain. "Well, I'm glad you remember being married to me, that's a plus."

"Well of course I remember marrying you, I read the fine print pretty well on the license there just making sure there wasn't a loophole for you to leave me." She smiled as she kissed the top of his head.

"Colin got drunk and the moment Finn slipped out to change he proceeded to take the mic and gave a lovely toast."

"That's it? Why is everyone acting like he kicked my puppy and I'm going to be mad at him?" She had expected a drunken toast quite frankly, it always livened up the festivities.

"Well, he said he hopes you don't turn into a heartless bitch. And you called you out on your drooling as you were completely passed out on my shoulder."

"I'm not even going to feel bad about that, I'm pregnant and tired, I have an excuse. And as for calling me a bitch, the man just got kind of blindsided by a divorce after playing the weirdest cat and mouse game with his wife for a year, never knowing if he was allowed home or not. I thought it was great he showed up at all, it couldn't have been easy for him. Plus, that doesn't even sound that bad. Mom has had a few doozies. Lane's wedding was particularly bad, I think she nursed that hangover for a week."

"She alluded to that one, how bad was it?" Logan asked with raised eyebrows.

"It's only spoken of in hushed, reverent tones, but her and Luke were fighting so bad and he was out of town and mom just exploded over the whole reception. I thought I was going to have to shoot her down with a tranquilizer dart but eventually we got her down and all seemed well, and obviously they worked things out." Rory was quiet for a minute before she shuddered slightly. "I just realized that it wasn't long after that I got a little brother and I just did math that I did not ever want to do. So, new topic?"

"Well, now that you remember being married to me—"

"I never actually forgot." She pointed out.

"Semantics, now that you remember, how do you feel about it?"

"Hmm, is there any way out of it?" She asked with a small lift to her voice and a gleam in her eye.

"Yes, a body bag and from natural causes, otherwise no, it was pretty legally binding." He said as he pushed her down onto the bed and kissed her neck.

"Oh, well then I guess I'm happy about it." Rory shrugged as she laid back and let him kiss anywhere he could reach, he stopped his kissing at her response and looked up.

"You _guess_ you're happy? Anything I can do to make you positive about your happiness?" He started kissing her again.

"Just keep doing what you're doing." She moaned as he kissed further down until he paused for a minute at her stomach. "Wow, you don't want me to be positive about my happiness?" She asked as she lifted herself up to look down at him until she saw what he was doing. He was running his hand along the same bump she had just been looking at yesterday, Rory had forgotten that with the craziness of Colin, and work, and preparing for the wedding he hadn't really seen the new development.

"When did this happen?" He asked, not taking his eyes off of her stomach.

"A few days ago, we've just been so busy I guess you haven't gotten to see it." She answered him as she ran her fingers through his hair. She watched him for a few minutes waiting for him to speak, wondering if he was having the same kind of moment he was.

"It seems kind of surreal you know?" He asked in a way that let her know that she didn't have to answer, almost like he was talking to the universe rather than her. "I mean, I've seen the ultrasound, still have no clue what I'm looking at, but I've seen it. And I've heard the heartbeat and I've seen the morning sickness, but it didn't seem real until I see this bump and I know it's not because you've eaten to much Chinese food."

"That happened one time and you promised not to bring it up again." She lightly interrupted with a smile.

"Hey, I still consider it one of the greatest food nights of our lives, I've never taken on half a menu before and we will probably never do it again. But, this, this is a baby, not just an over-abundance of take-out or something. It just feels real now." Finally, he broke his eye contact with her stomach and looked up at her in awe.

"You know, a part of me wants to be quippy and say that it was all real for me when I was in the hospital for pain, or the morning sickness, but I know what you mean. When I saw the bump it, kind of hit me full force that this was happening." She waited for a minute in the silence. "You know, I'm pretty sure I'm positive of my happiness."


	25. The Lunch

**AATT- The Lunch**

Rory laid her head on Logan's chest still tucked away in their bungalow before she felt the pillow beneath her start to move to check his phone and she knew what was coming. "Hey, you, we have to get up." Logan nudged her and she buried herself further into his chest. It was too early and she was in no mood to get the day started even though it had already been started long ago, she knew they had to get up and she just wasn't ready for it.

"I don't want to, it's the day after we got married, who decided to have a luncheon the very next day, shouldn't people know we want our privacy?" She whined as she thought about getting up and facing the group that were all going to be in the Dragonfly for their after-wedding lunch.

"Um, babe, it was your idea, you said that it would be good for all the family to get together since they were finally one unit or something about unity. I don't know, you talked a lot about it and eventually I had to tune you out." He smiled down at her as he heard her scoff. "Personally, I think we should avoid putting them all together in the same room ever, especially after the faux paus my mother had yesterday."

"Let's not remind me of that." She groaned, she really didn't want to remember the fact that her new mother-in-law was so against this marriage, this marriage that she felt so incredibly content and happy with, and just the remembrance of the black outfit made Rory feel sick to her stomach and sad. Logan watched her face fall and felt awful for bringing it up, however, where Rory felt sadness at the choice his mother made Logan just felt anger and was fully prepared to let his feelings be known to his mother in the coming hours.

"You're right, sorry. What do you say you join me in the shower and then we deal with this lunch and then head back home and spend the next few days completely disconnected from the whole world and having a small honeymoon before our actual honeymoon in Greece?" He asked, even though he planned on it despite whatever excuse she may come up with in response, however to his surprise she agreed.

"That all sounds great, except the shower, I figured I would go see Colin and Finn, see how Colin is doing, maybe make him squirm a little bit." She smirked at Logan, she had wanted to talk to Colin before they were around all of the guests from the night before, and the way he kept blowing up her phone she figured it would be easiest to just check on him in his room.

Logan looked down at her in shock. "I'm sorry, you're telling your newly minted husband that you'd rather forgo a shower with him to go see his best friends?" He scoffed as her smile grew wider. "I am offended, I am appalled, I am heartbroken."

"You are a thesaurus apparently." She tried to have a deadpan delivery, but she couldn't stop smiling at him. "And boy do I love hearing you call yourself my husband."

"That doesn't have to be a permanent title if you keep leaving me for Colin and Finn."

"Oh, calm down, I'm going to go talk to them because Colin seems really sorry and I want to talk to him, plus I want to make sure he's doing okay after the hell that this week has been for him. I feel bad that our wedding landed on this weekend for him."

"Fine, but I do get at least one dirty shower with you on our honeymoon, right?"

"Oh, you'll get so many you'll be bored by having me in the shower after Greece I promise you." She smiled as she climbed out of the bed and threw on the sweater and leggings she had chosen to wear for today as she made her way out the door and onto the snow-covered grounds of her mom's inn. She could see the remnants of the wedding that had just taken place there just last night, her wedding. Sometimes it didn't even feel real, the fact that she was married, again. The fact that she felt like her life restarted, the fact that she was now having a baby despite the fact that she had been pretty ambivalent to the idea for as long as she could remember. Suddenly she saw a movement in the decorations, and she smiled when she saw who it was.

"Decided to return to the scene of the crime?" She couldn't help but smile.

"Oh god, Rory. I'm so happy to see you. I'm so sorry about everything, I'm so sorry about the fact that I made the stupid toast, I'm sorry about the fact that I called you a bitch, I'm sorry _Fucking Finn_ had to be left in charge of me, and in true Finn fashion, didn't. I'm just really sorry." Colin pleaded when he saw who it was.

"Col, your wife left you this week, and still you stood up in front of a bunch of people you don't know, in a town that could fit in a FedEx envelope, just to be there for your best friend. You have nothing to apologize for, and honestly, because Finn was responsible for you, I didn't have any horrific reenactments from Finn so I should be thanking you. I won't, but I should. Colin, you didn't do anything wrong, and I'm sorry about all of the shit you dealt with this week. With that in mind, since you'll need a place to stay, do you think you could stay at the house when we leave? It'll be two weeks and you can take one of the guest rooms while you find a new place."

"You sure? I can stay with Finn."

"I think for the sake of everyone in that building I'm going to say you're fine to stay at our place. Plus, you're always welcome there." She smiled at him. "Just remind me to give you a key before we leave, okay?" Suddenly Colin's face looked even more ashamed than it did earlier. "You and Finn already have keys, don't you?" When he didn't answer and just hid his head she scoffed. "I thought we changed the locks!"

"You did, but Logan got us in touch with a very powerful locksmith and…"

"You know what, it's best that I don't know. And speaking of Logan, I should probably get back, I'll see you at the lunch in an hour." She turned to leave, and she made it about 15 feet before Colin called out to her and she turned back to look at him.

Colin walked to where she was and stopped a few feet short. "You know, at Yale we really liked you, thought you'd break Logan, I mean he did like you, quietly, but he did. We always thought something would happen and then it seemed like you just kind of stopped coming around and all was fine, we didn't hear your name anymore and we didn't think anything of it. But I remember after your very first date with him back in New York he called me and couldn't stop talking about you and then when we saw you the night after your second date, I knew he was a goner, but I'll never forget what he told me that night, you were distracted with a conversation with Finn and he barely nudged me and said 'Can you believe I get a second chance with her? Who would've thought I'd ever get that lucky.'" Colin stopped for a few minutes and smiled. "I know you guys have had some fights like everyone else, I know you guys took a while to get here, but just know that there hasn't been a single moment he has taken for granted. It seems like whenever he looks at you, he can't believe it. I just wanted to say thank you for making him that happy and giving him his second chance."

"There's nothing to thank me for, he think I don't get how lucky I am? You think I didn't want him back at Yale? Trust me, that wasn't a one-way street between the two of us. I almost asked him out more times than I can count, but never got the courage, so this is just as much my second chance as it is, his."

"Well, you make it seem like everyone gets the chance to find that. I guess, that should have been my toast last night, huh?"

"Much better than hoping I don't turn into a horrid bitch." She winked at Colin and then walked away back to her bungalow with Logan. She had planned to join him in the shower but stopped short when she heard the music filtering through the door. Covering her mouth to not let the laugh escape and alert Logan to the fact that she was back she decided to wait until she heard the music and shower stop and she opened and closed the door, pretending to just arrive as she made her way into the bathroom. "Hi husband!"

"Hey you." He smiled as he wrapped the towel around his waist. "You missed a hell of a shower, you know."

Rory stifled a laugh as she smiled at him. "I know but like I promised earlier, so many in Greece you'll start kicking me out."

"Never going to happen, in fact, it's a rule. If you ever feel like getting in the shower with me, just hop on in. Even if I'm in a rush and I'm supposed to be going to work, join me and I will gladly be late."

"Oh, that's cute in theory but I've seen you stressed about being late for work and no way am I getting in the way of that tornado, but any other time, I will keep your new rule in mind. Now, you ready to go?"

"Dressed like this?" He motioned down to the towel and nothing else he was wearing.

"Hey, if your mom got away with the all black, I think you can pull off the shirtless 'Eligible Men of New York' calendar look." She openly and exaggeratedly checked him out.

"I'm not so eligible though." He smiled, pulling her closer to him. "And on the wardrobe discussion, it's cold and this is drafty, so I think I'm going to go put on a sweater, and you know, actual pants."

"Fine, suit yourself. It doesn't mean I won't live in my fantasy world."

"You always do." He winked at her as he walked into the room and to the closet that was holding his clothes, pulling out a grey chunky sweater and dark jeans.

"Wear sexy little reading glasses and I swear you're every fantasy I've ever had." She said as she walked into the room he was in. It wasn't until he turned around and looked at her did he realize his sweater almost perfectly matched hers and the dark wash of his jeans looked close to the dark leggings she was wearing as well.

"Are you always this openly sexual or is it the pregnancy, because if it's the pregnancy, we're getting you knocked up as soon as this one is out."

"Oh look, all sexual urges are gone, let's go." She smiled at him as she passed him, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"Hey, how did things go with Colin?" He had wanted to know if all was okay, not sure if Colin or Finn would say something and make her upset.

"It's fine, he said he was sorry, I told him not to worry about it because it was a small thing in the grand scheme of things, and I told him he could stay at the house while we were gone."

"That's good, remind me to make him a key for while we're gone… they don't need a key, do they?" At her silence he groaned and threw his head down. "I forgot they entered unannounced earlier this week."

"Yes, well apparently you introduced them to a very powerful locksmith, so I blame you. Now come on, we're already 15 minutes late."

RLRL

In the Dragonfly dining room Lorelai was popping another aspirin as the morning wore on, she wasn't sure why her mom and her daughter had both thought this lunch was a good idea but the fact that Rory was late, and her mother was currently, wait, what was her mother doing? Lorelai looked over the dining room and saw Emily leaned in close to Shira Huntzberger's ear whispering with a very polite smile on her face. As Lorelai inched closer to the conversation, she could finally hear what was being said.

"It will do you well to remember exactly who you are before you go around judging my granddaughter and her mother. My daughter built this place from the ground up, my granddaughter is of great social standing and is successful on her own merits, she didn't have to marry her way into anything, she was born into it, she was brought into this world at a later age and she still has more social grace in her finger than you could ever have, as proven by your little stunt at the wedding yesterday. The tackiness that you exuded would have you black-listed, excuse my choice of words, if this wedding was held anywhere else and my granddaughter wasn't nearly as forgiving as she is. As it stands, you need to be very careful in how you proceed with your treatment of her and the rest of my family. Those kids are married now and they're happier than you could say about your own marriage." Emily spoke through gritted teeth and a painted-on smile as she looked around the room, cowering over a now pale Shira.

Slowly, Lorelai backed away before her mom saw her, not wanting her mom to feel like she had been caught in the game of societal warfare, even though Emily had been the clear victor. A few minutes later Emily came up to Lorelai. "Do you know where the kids are? They should be here by now." Emily asked as she looked around the room.

"Well, maybe they got a jumpstart on the honeymoon." Lorelai smiled as her mother rolled her eyes.

"Honestly Lorelai, we can't have one function without your crude humor?"

"You know, I don't think that's possible." There was a few minutes of silence before Lorelai spoke again. "Hey mom, thank you…" At Emily's questioning glance she quickly amended. "For all the help with the wedding. Rory was busy and it was a rush wedding, it meant a lot to have your help." She wanted to thank her for more. Thank her for defending her and Rory to Shira, thank her for all the help over all of these years, but for now this moment of thanks seemed to cover enough.

"Well, it was insulting all of the work you had on your plate, there's no way you could have gotten that all done. But, you're welcome." Just as she was about to say more, she saw the couple of the weekend enter the dining room. "Oh, there they are! Finally! I think I need to go have a talk with them about how impolite it is to keep the guests waiting."

"Mom leave them alone, it's the day after their wedding, if there's ever a time to be late it's today. Plus, I have a few questions I need to ask them anyway. And, dad has been sneaking steak kabobs every time you turn your back." Emily turned on her heel as Richard was placing another kabob in his mouth.

"Richard! We talked about this!" Emily raced over to the appetizer table as Lorelai rolled her eyes and went over to Rory and Logan.

"Well, to catch you up on today's events, your grandmother and Logan's mom had words, and by had words I mean Emily verbally bitch slapped Shira. Grandpa has been sneaking food that's bad for his cholesterol, Paris has caused 4 of my staff to need an emergency Xanax and threaten to quit. We're about out of liquor because I'm pretty sure Finn is just getting it through an IV at this point, his exact words were 'I'm off Colin duty, parties on.' I called him Wayne, he didn't understand the reference. Your brother and Luke went home, I told them to save themselves. Oh, and Emily keeps complaining that you guys are late. You better have been enjoying the benefits of marriage for all the shit I've had to deal with so far today."

"We were late fifteen minutes; how could things have possibly gone this bad?" Rory asked her mom.

"I don't know, but look at my mom, she's as white as a sheet." Logan answered, even with the question not directed at him. He pulled on Rory's sleeve as she looked over, sure enough Shira was sitting quietly and with a false smile on her face, but her color was completely gone.

"What did grandma say to her?" She directed to Lorelai.

"About remembering her place when she tries to disrespect you again."

"No! She wasn't supposed to get in the middle of this, damn it. It wasn't supposed to be like this, this was supposed to be a nice lunch where everyone could get to know each other with no pressure from the wedding hanging over our heads. I didn't want this, this fighting and your mother feeling insulted—"

"Hey, woah, do not feel about this, I had planned on speaking to my mother too. She insulted you long before your grandmother, rightfully stood up for you. This isn't on you. You've been nothing but nice and cordial and respectful even when you didn't have to be, even this lunch was nicer than she deserved, do not feel bad about this, you're in the right here. Don't let her horrible attitude make you feel bad, especially not this weekend Ace. Please." Rory remained quiet after Logan finished what he had to say, she knew that he was right, but it couldn't stop the tears that started to form. Once Logan saw those, he immediately pulled her out into the hall. "Rory, please don't."

"I just don't understand, I was able to brush it off yesterday, I was able to ignore the glares and the black outfit, and I could put it to the side because I was marrying you and I was so wrapped up in that. But I don't understand, I don't understand why I'm not good enough, why my being married before, or me having a career is so taboo. I love you! I love you and I support you and we're having a baby. How is that not enough!? I don't understand!" She could feel her blood pressure rising the more she spoke, she hated that Shira could get to her like this. She had faced tougher critics, hell Logan's dad in a meeting, for one. But for some reason she couldn't shake how badly this was hurting her.

"They're psychotic, what more is there to understand?! Rory, you are beautiful, and intelligent and loving and supportive and a million more superlatives than I could every express. You don't deserve to be brought down by someone like her, someone whose opinion does not matter, not to me, not to anyone in that room but her. I will do anything I can to prove to you how pointless her incessant babbling is, but the thing that isn't pointless in my world is you. It's you and that baby. Speaking of the baby, you need to calm down, you need to eat something, and then I'm going to spend the rest of my life taking care of the two of you, okay?" Rory barely nodded her head and Logan pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her and squeezing before leading her back into the dining room and over towards Lorelai. "Hey, I need to go do something, can you make sure she eats please? I'll be back in just a few minutes."

Lorelai nodded her head as she looked at her daughter with tear stains on her face and Logan was off as quick as she did, making his way straight towards his family's table. Once he arrived Mitchum acknowledged him immediately. "Logan! There you are son, how are you doing this morning?"

Logan gave a tight smile as he answered. "Very well dad. Would you mind if I saw you and mom in the lobby?" He asked with a pointed glare sent to Shira. Walking 5 steps ahead of his family, when Logan entered the lobby he quickly stopped and turned on his heel focusing his sights on his mother. "I let you get away with it yesterday mom, because I was to focused on marrying the love of my life, but today the ceremony is done so I can focus back on the stunt you pulled. You disrespected my wife and my family yesterday. The only reason I didn't personally have you escorted out was because I knew Rory wouldn't appreciate the scene you would cause, so I let it go. However, today I had a crying pregnant bride who didn't understand why you hate her the way you do. I just want to make one thing clear, she is never to be disrespected by you again, even a breath of an insult sent her way and you'll be paying for it, do you hear me? She is it for me, she's the mother of your grandchild, and she's here, permanently. It will be wise of you to realize this." Without letting his mother get a word in edge wise he quickly left and made his way back to the lunch.

"I told you that your little power move wouldn't be well received." Mitchum spoke quietly with a shake of his head.

RLRL

As Logan sat down next to Rory he could see the stress that was once causing her shoulders to be bunched up to her ears had slowly gone away and now, surrounded by her friends and her mom and grandparents she seemed truly happy and at ease as she laid her head down on his shoulder and he could barely make out a tune she was humming.

"What are you singing there, babe?" He whispered as he kissed the top of her head.

"Oh, nothing important." She started humming a little bit more before she stopped. "I do have a question would you appreciate if I wore more Abercrombie and Fitch? And why didn't you tell me Chinese food made you sick?" She smirked at him as he realized what song she was humming.

"It was just on a random Spotify playlist, I didn't actually download it!" He defended.

"Sure." She smiled at him. "I just wish I would've known because I just would've saved so much money on lingerie if I would've known how much Abercrombie worked for you."

"You know, I'm pretty sure I can just go to Greece alone, I don't need you for the honeymoon portion." He couldn't help but smile back at her.

"Well, maybe you'll get lucky and meet a few summer girls over there." She winked as she turned back to the conversation at the table but she couldn't stop herself from curling closer into him and smiling as his friends now joined the party that had set up shop in the corner of the room. Logan looked over to where his father and mother were sitting, talking to a few colleagues that had stayed the evening at the inn. When Mitchum caught Logan's eye he raised his glass in a toast, prompting Logan to do the same, it was a small gesture, but it wasn't unnappreciated.


	26. The Epilogue

**AATT- The Epilogue**

 **A/N: I know you probably weren't expecting the epilogue, to be frank, I wasn't expecting it either. However, here it is. Once again, thank you to all the reviews on this and all my other stories. I still can't wrap my head around the fact that you guys actually choose to indulge me in these stories, it means the world to me. Thank you so very much.**

Rory was putting on her earrings in the bathroom when she heard laughter down the hall from her, she smiled to herself as she put the final clasp in and slipped her wedding set onto her fingers before she heard the final crash from downstairs causing her to wince. Just as she did Logan walked into the room. "Well that's a pretty face." He said as he leaned down to kiss her.

"Why thank you, but shouldn't you be downstairs with Oliver? I distinctly heard a crash that I feel like requires specific parental attention and since you're the parent that's actually ready then maybe you should go down there." She pointed out as she went to fix her makeup. "Especially since I'm already running late for work."

"Finn and Colin are down there watching him, and what do you mean late for work?"

"Wait, Colin and Finn are left alone with a five-year old and there was a crash and you didn't immediately go down and check on them? They usually need more supervision than he does!" Rory asked as she started to get up and go check on the commotion that she was drifting up the stairs.

"No, no, stop! What do you mean work?" Logan asked as she tried to float by him, he stopped for a minute and focused on how beautiful she looked. It had been five and a half years of being married to her, a little over 5 years of being a parent, and some days he still couldn't believe it had happened the way it did. He couldn't believe that one night of cheap Chinese food had turned everything he had ever known on its head.

"Yes, work. I go, I edit things, I have reporters get mad at me. You sign the checks as a matter of fact, you should know what I'm talking about." Her delivery was dry as she looked him over and finally noticed he was in his casual wear, which for Logan was still slacks and a nice button up. "Wait a minute, are you not going to work today?"

"Uh… you're joking right?" He asked her with a questioning look, there's no way she would have forgotten this, right? There's no way she would just block out something they had been talking about for months on end and had been preparing for this whole past week. When she continued looking at him like he had three heads he finally chuckled to himself quietly. "Rory, why do you think the boys are here?"

"I don't know Logan, they're always here. I'm amazed that you three go anywhere without each other. I really wish in my vows I would have just said 'I take you Logan, and Colin, and Finn, and apparently Finn's new dog' to by my lawfully wedded husbands and pet."

"They're not over here that much."

"Tiny has his own dog bed in our living room and I had to readjust our grocery list to include some of his favorite foods. They're over here a lot. But, since there seems to be a specific reason today, please tell me why they're here now." Rory's patience was wearing thin at Logan's avoidance of why he was so confused about her going to work today.

"It's Oliver's first day of kindergarten." Logan said carefully, he knew she would feel bad, but he still wasn't sure why she forgot. Unless…

However, his thought process was cut off by Rory jumping away from him and scrambling to her cellphone and checking the calendar. "What?! No, that's wrong, I have it in here as the week after Labor Day. No, we had a plan and activities, and oh my god, did I forget to make his lunch?" Now she was scrambling trying to find her shoes. "I can't go to work today, we talked about how we were going to take him to school and pick him up, did I take the wrong day off, oh it doesn't matter now, I'm sleeping with the boss I can take the day off." She was talking a mile-a-minute as she hobbled around their bedroom hoping on one foot while trying to put her shoes on before she almost fell, and Logan caught her.

"Hey, hey, calm down. We did the activities, you already took off from work, and you made his lunch last night. He is all prepared to go, you psyched it up for him, and I don't know why you have it as the week after Labor day because I distinctly remember you went into a diatribe when we got the start date because you think schools should start after Labor Day but they don't, they start earlier and earlier every wear. It was a whole big thing. Where is your head this morning?" He asked her as he still had her in his arms.

"I don't know, I would have sworn that it was in a few weeks, how did I get the day wrong? But wait, you're right, we did all the activities, and I did make lunch last night. Where the hell is my brain today?"

"You don't think?" Logan hinted as kissed her forehead.

"I don't think what Logan?" She asked him with a twinge of annoyance back in her voice.

"That you might be…" He tried to hint to her again and she stepped out of his arms and crossed her arms over her chest. "Wow, you're not fast on the up-take today, are you? You don't think you might be pregnant, do you? I mean, with Ollie's second trimester you couldn't remember your name sometimes. I almost thought about labeling your pants just to make sure you always knew what was yours." He was a little scared to ask for a few reasons, one that fire in her eye that she got when she was truly annoyed with him was shining brighter than he had seen it in a while, and two, well, they had been tried 2 years ago for a year with no success, and he hated to bring it up. After that year they had decided to stop trying and stop preventing. He watched as her eyes sprang open as she reached for her phone again to check her calendar again and counted the days before she quickly dove back into the bathroom and went to the back of the cabinet underneath her sink where she pulled out a box of pregnancy tests and quickly shut the door. Logan quietly stood outside the door for the next five minutes trying to ignore the budding anxiety that was blossoming in his chest and focusing on the noise that was happening downstairs.

"Uncle Finn! Get Tiny off of me!"

"Tiny! Stop trying to take the boys bacon! Oliver, you know mate, if you'd just give him a piece, he'd stop begging for more. I believe I heard that somewhere."

"Oh yeah, was that place reputable? Also, that's terrible advice." Colin asked causing Logan to rush over to the railing.

"Please, for the love of everything, do not answer that question around my son, I do not need him going to his first day of kindergarten repeating any moment of this to his teacher or classmates." Just then he heard the sound of a door opening and Rory's heels on the hardwood of their bedroom. "We will finish this conversation later!" He walked over to where Rory had sat down on their master bed with the test flipped upside down.

"I thought, we should look together when the timer goes off." She said quietly as she stared holes through the test.

"Sounds like a good plan." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and squeezed for a minute.

"What were the boys trying to corrupt our son with today?" She asked, still not taking her eyes off the test, he looked next to her at the timer on her phone that still had 45 seconds.

"Um, Finn was quoting something that was less than polite, Colin asked about his sources and I begged them to not have this conversation today of all days." He watched her nod her head in agreement.

"Probably for the best. The last thing we need is him going to school and spouting off Finn-isms to his teacher." Just then the timer went off and both Logan and Rory jumped before she quickly turned it off and tore her eyes away from the test and to look at him. "Want to face the truth?" She asked, the breath slightly taken out of her as she still stared at the overturned test. Logan knew that feeling, the feeling of dread that creeped up every month they had tried and gotten bad results. He remembered month after month of sitting on this bed and seeing a negative, holding her night after night as she cried. He cursed himself for even putting the idea in each other's heads because now they might be spending the first day of their son's school career miserable because he couldn't keep his mouth shut. He kissed her cheek before he grabbed her hand and helped her turn over the test.

Both of their breath caught at the same time as they saw the single word that appeared on the screen. _Pregnant._ It was as clear as day, blatant for the whole world to see, but still she blinked and shook her head before slowly opening one eye to look at the test again. There was that word again, staring at her, taunting her with happiness that she wasn't sure if she could believe it. It wasn't until she felt Logan start laughing next to her and felt him pick her up off the bed and lift her into the air and kiss her before she felt that it wasn't mocking her, that the single word was her new reality.

"Oh my god Ace! We're pregnant! We're pregnant! I can't believe it!" She stared down at him while he still had her wrapped around his body. His face was broken into a full out beam as he held her tightly to him. "I knew you looked more beautiful than usual!" Just then Logan's eyes went wide when he realized what he said. "Not that you don't look beautiful otherwise, because you do! I just—"

Suddenly his words were cut off by her laughing and kissing him quiet. "Thank you for the compliment babe." Just as they were going to kiss again, they heard someone clear their throat by the master bedroom door.

"My god you two, it is a historic day in the Huntzberger household and instead of enjoying a breakfast that I slaved away over, I find you two up here attached at the hips, again. Thank god not literally, I got enough of an eyeful after you got home from your honeymoon." Colin spoke with a disapproving tone but a gleam to his eye and a small smile. "But for real, it's almost time to leave, you guys ready?"

"We are, the silly woman here got the date wrong and thought she was going to work today." Logan smiled as Rory hit him upside the shoulder and slid down his body.

"Alright, well Ollie and Finn are starting to argue so I'll go deal with them and meet you downstairs." He peered over to Rory. "Also, I heard the news when I was walking up here, congratulations you guys."

"Thank you, Colin, also thank you for refereeing between the two of them, I really don't want to have to deal with a crying Finn or Oliver today. We'll be down in a minute." With that Colin saluted the two of them and Rory turned back to Logan. "So, I didn't just imagine it, right? It said pregnant?" She had such a tone of wonderment as she asked.

"You didn't just imagine it, you're pregnant. You're happy right?"

"Nervous, but so happy." She smiled up at him.

"I love you Ace." He leaned down and gently kissed her.

"Even after all this time?" She asked with a small smile that was invisible to him as her lips were still barely connected to his, but he could feel the small upward motion.

"I told you I will not fulfill your Snape fantasy, but yes, even after all of this time."


End file.
